The Strange One
by wickedswanz
Summary: He is her master, her protector, her punisher. He is Rodolphus Lestrange and Hermione can’t help but burn in his forbidden Embrace. He has shown her passion and darkness like she has never dreamt, she has shown him a love and compassion he never knew.N17
1. Chapter 1

____________________

With the large, leather-bound book in her arms, Hermione walked briskly across the damp grass. Willing her legs to move faster, and willing her arms to stop aching with the weight of the tome, she hoped that she could make it out of the wards and disapparate before they found her.

Dumbledore had been very specific, she was to retrieve the book from the cathedral and bring it back to headquarters. If she was captured then her life was forfeit and she must destroy the book rather then hand it over even at the risk of death. Her virginity was an important factor as only a virgin woman could touch the book until a certain spell found within was read aloud. It also put the power in her hands as far as the book was concerned, because the chance of a virgin Death Eater was minimal.

That must have been why Dumbledore had thought it wise to send her alone, after all, if they were surrounded there would be nothing they could do, at least alone the Death Eaters could not use one of her friends as leverage and she would have no qualms about destroying the book before having time to take her own life.

It wouldn't come to that. Hermione was already three quarters of the way to the end of the wards that prevented dissaparation and could see no one as yet. She was going to make it, once out of the boundaries it would be only a second before she found herself returned to the Order of the Phoenix headquarters.

She took a deep calming breath and sped up her steps.

Almost there. Five more minutes at the most and this would all be over. She would be back with her friends and scoffing when they gushed about how scared she must have been. "What, me? Scared? Don't be silly, Harry. It was a piece of cake," she spoke in her head, feeling her spirits lift as she felt the boundary of the wards getting closer.

She was going to make it. Almost there...

CRACK!

Hermione's heart stopped at the ear-shattering sound. Hoping against hope that it was simply one of the order come to meet her, Hermione strained her eyes to see into the darkness. Nothing, more black, endless darkness, stars and moon overhead. Alone, she was alone. Was she hearing things?

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

The sound came again and again, filling the wide open space with thunderous noise. Like a wave crashing, it was all she could do to stand and let it flow over her. She fought the urge to scream and cover her ears. The deafening cracks of sound seemed to come from all around her.

She succumbed with a scream. Dropping to her knees, the book hit the ground with a thud, she covered her ears.

But her scream echoed around her in the now deathly silence. She felt her tears wet on her cheeks but didn't think to wipe them. Looking around her she still saw only blackness and shadow, heard only her own gasping breaths and sobs.

Hermione grasped the book and pulled it protectively against her chest. She was about to climb to her feet when an emerald green mask seemed to float into view. Her fist pressed painfully against her lips, muffling a scream as the mask was joined by another and another. Some white, some red and three green. Death Eaters.

She was surrounded and insanely outnumbered. Dumbledore's words rang through her mind as she watched in growing horror_. "This book must not fall into the hands of Voldemort. If you are caught you must destroy it, any way you can, destroy the book then consider taking your own life. His army will not be merciful, Miss Granger."_

The masks seemed to float closer, closing in around her, their black robes billowing in the night breeze. She knew what she had to do but her hand froze on her wand. Fear pulsed through her trembling body in time with her heartbeat; fast, hot, almost painful.

All at once it was too late. The circle of black robes and anonymous masks left no gaps and nowhere to run. Still on her knees, Hermione looked around at the masked figures, hating the silence, tears blurring her vision. The fear was all encompassing, filling her mind and clouding her of everything else but its tingling numbness, shooting up her spine.

At length, the taller Death Eater in an emerald green mask stepped closer and as one the surrounding men pulled their wands. Her breath hitched when the taller did the same and with a flick his mask was pulled from his head like a silk scarf. Long white hair fell over his shoulders and a pair of cold, silver eyes mocked her as she tried to scramble back only to hit another pair of legs behind her.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the mouthy mudblood," Lucius Malfoy drawled, a wide sneer spreading over his thin lips. "You've finally taken your proper place; on your knees."

Hermione swallowed hard and squared her shoulders as best she could from her kneeling position. She forced a breathless laugh and smirked up at him, hoping he couldn't see the fear sweat pricking around her eyes. "Just like your whiny son. What-- can't face me without your cronies?" she leaned closer. "Scared of something?"

He returned her smirk, an evil glint in his eyes. "Oh, Miss Granger, I am not the one who needs to be afraid."

His words were simple but the inclination made her shiver and she gripped the book closer, keeping her gaze locked on his. "I won't hand over the book." she said. "You'll have to find another virgin to pry it from my cold dead fingers." But even as the words left her lips, the look in Lucius' eyes made her regret them.

"Book?" He raised an inquiring brow. "We do not care about your little book, keep it."

Her eyes went wide and she heard her pulse explode in her ears. "But... It's what you came here to get. Voldemort sent you to..." But she was cut off by the surrounding Death Eaters hissing. Two came behind her and yanked Hermione to her feet, their grips like vices, holding her in place.

All she could do was watch, fearfully, as Lucius covered the space between them in three long strides. He waged one long gloved finger from side to side making a tut-tut sound.

"Stupid girl, we have been away for several weeks and have not had contact with the Dark Lord in as long." He cupped her chin, seeming to enjoy the terror now filling her eyes. "We were simply scrying for a little post mission fun and what should we find but the Mudblood friend of Saint Potter." He turned her face roughly to the side and hissed into her ear. "Since I get first fuck, I will consider your virginity an exciting plus."

She wretched, sure she would be sick. "I'll bite off my own tongue before I allow that."

He chuckled, the sound seeming to rumble through her. "Easily said yet not so easily done, my dear. Do not fool yourself into thinking that you will die from such an act unless I wish it."

The sound of guffawing laughter coming from the surrounding men made her blood boil. "Then get on with it, Malfoy," she spat. "From what I've heard, it won't take long."

His eyes glittered dangerously at the single bark of laughter that sounded behind her. With a growl, Lucius raised his hand and slapped her hard with the back of his hand. Her face flew to the side, the force of the blow making her head spin and she tasted blood.

Before she had time to catch her breath he gripped her chin again and forced her to look at him. His lips curled as his free hand covered her breast and squeezed it roughly enough to make her cry out.

"Trust me, my filthy Mudblood whore; I can make even a few short minutes seem like hours." He released her breast and reached into his robes, pulling out a long, jagged looking knife.

Just looking at the blade made Hermione tremble.

It looked sharp and thick and curved upwards like a fish-gutting knife, but it was the wicked looking jags that made her cringe. There was no doubt this knife was created to kill in the most painful way possible.

"I see you like my knife," Lucius sneered. "I would usually not lower myself to touching something made by those filthy Muggles, but this..." He held it higher in the moonlight so it glinted in the silvery rays then brought it to her cheek letting her feel the cold metal, grinning at the way she moaned her terror as he let her feel every curve.

He slid the blade softly down her cheek and she gasped at the sharp sting, tears falling freely as the pain and fear throbbed in her veins. Her blood spilled and ran in a long rivulet down around her jaw and under her chin.

He leaned closer, his breath hot in her face. As much as she wanted to keep her eyes on his, her gaze continued to flick to the knife. "P – Please..." Was all she could manage.

His hand covered her breast again, the knife resting against her bloodied cheek. "Your half-blood friend is the reason I was sent to Azkaban, a deed that can not go unthanked," he drawled. "After these good men and I have violated you to our satisfaction, and that includes my little toy." He slid the knife down her body till it was pressed against her core, eliciting another sharp cry from her. "I plan to send a few of the more intimate parts of you to your beloved Potter so he may enjoy them as well."

What happened next happened so fast that at first she was unsure if she had passed out and was simply dreaming. A purple curse seemed to come from nowhere and Lucius was thrown back. Two thumps and her captors were also on the ground and a single muscular arm wound around her middle and lifted her onto what felt like a broom. Hermione's mind seemed to have shut off to all but the hard broom below her bottom and the strong arm holding her against a broad, warm chest.

She gripped onto his black robe and buried her face in the crook of his shoulder and throat. He smelt musky and his long hair tickled her nose. She gripped the stranger, pressed her body harder against his and felt his arm tighten, a movement that she was sure was meant to give comfort. His breath was hot on her shoulder in contrast to the cold air rushing by as they flew.

And she gripped him, gripped as though she would never let go. "I'm afraid of flying," she whispered against his neck and felt him laugh. A rumbling shudder that made her snuggle closer.

*

The man felt the woman's heartbeat calm as they flew beneath the stars towards Malfoy Manor. She was so delicate, her body so much smaller then his own and so light. He was sure he could snap her in two with one hand. Her breath was soft against his throat even as her hands continued to hold his robe in a death grip.

He grinned at the way she had stood up to Malfoy, even though she had been obviously afraid the small woman had held her ground, meeting the pureblood's eyes stubbornly and saying things that, to his memory, no one had dared say in Malfoy's whole pampered life. The mudblood was either stupid or she was hiding a pair of brass balls and after the stories he had heard about her, the Death Eater had the feeling that it was the latter.

Looking down at her, he took in her long, unruly curls. Her face was pretty, not beautiful, but there was something striking about it that he couldn't quite put his finger on; a small pert nose, lips pink and plump but not pouty, soft creamy skin with a slight flush staining her cheeks.

It was a shame that she had nothing but a pathetic Muggle bloodline. Maybe he could ask for her as boon. He had been loyal all his life after all and had never asked for anything before. Those around him often requested the body of a captive after Voldemort had done with them, why not him?

The thought sent a rush of heat down to his lower belly and wrapped tightly around his cock. It had been four years at least since he had felt anything close to the burning lust that raged through his veins and made his cock press painfully against his leather pants. The fact that this slip of a woman could cause such a strong reaction in him was reason enough to press forward. He shut his eyes and stifled a groan as his mind filled with the vision of the Mudblood on her knees, his fingers tangled in her curls as she swallowed his seed.

Hermione gripped tighter and buried her face in the stranger's hair as she felt him aim the broom downwards. They were going to land and from what she saw when she snuck a peek, they were at Malfoy Manor. The stranger was taking her to see Voldemort. She wasn't sure how she felt about this, she was numb. So much fear had built within her while facing Lucius that now she was drained. She should be afraid, she needed to scream, to fight, to punch and kick out at her new captor. But as she clung to his robes and felt and smelt his masculine warmth, she felt calm; Safe.

_As long as I stay with him I'll be safe,_ she thought and loosened one hand from his robe to wrap over his shoulder and around the back of his neck. His hair felt silky over her fingers.

The stranger pulled her closer against him and placed the softest kiss, barely there, on her forehead. His lips lingered longer then they should. "I won't let them hurt you," he murmured, echoing her thoughts. "Just watch that smart mouth and do as you are told, I will protect you."

She nodded and they landed. He helped her to stand and held her steady while her legs grew accustomed to the hard ground. Hermione was surprised to how attune he was to her, seeming to almost know what she was thinking, or maybe her mind was still swirling. She felt strange, kind of weightless and she was finding it hard to think straight or at all.

They stood together in the grounds of Malfoy Manor, in the dim light, but Hermione couldn't find the light source so assumed that it was a spell of some kind. At length she raised her eyes to finally look at her saviour; no that was wrong, not saviour, captor. She licked her lips and forced herself to look at him.

Her heart stopped.

For the first time she had no words, right or wrong, there was no way to describe how her mind saw him. The stranger stood a good six foot and then some, with hair the colour of deep red wine that fell in waves just past his shoulders. A lock of hair at the front had been braided with emerald beads at three junctions and what looked like a wolf fang attached and hanging at the bottom.

He was clad in black, a vest barely covered an impressively wide chest and parted to show that he was all hard muscle and tanned flesh; a pair of leather pants stretched over his long, muscular legs and leading her eyes down to a pair of heavy boots. His arms were thick and strong looking and his long fingered hands seemed poised and ready to grab her should she try to run.

Finally meeting his gaze she realized that he had been studying her in the same way. She expected him to make some stupid joke, like the twins or Bill had on the few occasions that she had been caught checking them out. He didn't but the knowing grin and predatory darkness in his eyes was somehow worse and all too disturbing.

"Wha – What is your name?" She asked her voice soft and breathless.

He bowed, eyes never leaving her face, mocking, before raising himself again to his full height. "I, Miss Granger, am Rodolphus Lestrange."

She gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth as her mind seemed to explode with all the terrifying stories about this man. Murders, Crucios, and reports of attacks on muggles and wizards alike. He and his wife Bellatrix were two of the most notorious Death Eaters under Voldemort's rule.

Rodolphus laughed and his hand struck with the speed of a cobra, fingers encircling her wrist and squeezing enough to make her wince. "I see you've heard of me."

"Why did you save me?" she breathed, her hand shifting from her mouth to her throat.

His fingers tightened briefly on her wrist and his jaw tightened as he looked down at her."Come on, we're expected," he said, his voice gruff and pulled her along as he headed towards the front door.

His strides were long and fast so Hermione had to almost run to keep up as he lead her through the huge foyer. They passed under a garishly carved archway and into what looked like a dining room. Painting spotted the walls, portraits, landscapes, strange looking swirls that Hermione was too distracted to give more attention. Other then the paintings the room was sparingly decorated, white and grays the prominent colors, silver and glass abundant.

She took a deep breath, ordering her mind to relax. Her options were few and the chance of escape was going to be slim. She had a theory or two of why Rodolphus would want to protect her and didn't like the sound of either of them but he made a good point. _Keep your smart mouth shut and do as you're told._ There was no forgetting that they were stronger both physically and magically so she was going to have to find another way to escape.

She looked down at the book and frowned. Lucius had said that they weren't interested in the book, so then why was she given such strict instructions? What was all that, '_If you are caught your life is forfeit'. 'Destroy the book then consider taking your own life'._ Was it a mistake? If so it was a pretty bloody major one!

With a flick of his wand Rodolphus opened two large doors and pulled her inside. At least ten Death Eaters stood in a line against the far wall. They stood completely still, for a moment Hermione thought that maybe they were simply the robes hanging, but the slight movement of one showed them to be real.

The room suddenly filled with whispers as she was led further into the room but was silenced by a deep hiss. Hermione's attention was drawn to the figure standing by the window. He stood tall, his pale flesh bathed in the moonlight, seeming to glow. Looking at him she felt as though all the warmth was being sucked from her body. He turned and Hermione nearly screamed when his hot red eyed gaze fell on her, piercing her soul and probing her mind.

Remembering her seventh year teachings, she shut her eyes tight, imagining two large iron doors between them and quickly slamming them shut.

She could feel his mind beating against the doors of hers, throwing wave after wave of power against her barrier. She heard him roar in her head.

A deep, amused chuckle made her open her eyes to see Voldemort walking slowly towards her.

"I see Severus has taught you well, Miss Granger," he barely whispered, his voice more of a hiss with a coolness that made chills run down her spine.

"Not Severus," she answered her voice sounding stronger then she felt. "He could barely manage to put up with Harry in our fifth year, why would he put time into a Mudblood?"

She felt him probe at her mind again and this time she looked back into his eyes, more confident in her barrier. Voldemort grinned as he drew closer; reaching out to cup her jaw with his long, pale fingers. He was more snake then human, thin lips curled inwards over tiny pointed teeth, his nose gone leaving two grotesque holes.

The moment the dark wizard reached for her she felt Rodolphus' hand tighten on her wrist and she knew that to cringe away or show any sign of the disgust she felt would be a bad idea. Instead she swallowed hard and kept her eyes on his even as his cold fingers slid over her cheek and down her throat. His red eyes grew large as he touched her hair and cupped the back of her throat and Hermione had to clench her teeth to hold in the scream that welled up inside as he brought his face closer. His head tipped first to one side then the other, and by the sound of him pulling air through his two open nostrils she knew that he was sniffing her.

Rodolphus still gripped her wrist and without thinking she wrapped her fingers around his. He pulled her closer, a movement so subtle that she wondered if he knew that he'd done it. But there was no time to dwell.

Without warning Voldemort cupped her face in both his cold hands, long fingers stretching over the whole length, almost unnaturally. His narrow red eyes glared into hers again but this time she wasn't ready.

Snakes.

They filled her mind. She could feel them just behind her eyes, coiling, slithering; slick and wet and terrifyingly fast.

Her mind flashed, and she watched as Voldemort reviewed her thoughts, her life, her essence.

The strange woman who came to her house to tell her parents that she was a witch, meeting Harry on the train, her first kiss with Victor Krum, yelling at Sirius for almost getting Harry killed again, her parents forcing her to choose between her world or theirs, her disastrous relationship with Ron, and finally Dumbledore's last instructions.

At length she felt the slithery hold loosen and finally release her. It took her a moment to realize that Rodolphus was holding her up with one strong arm around her waist and that she was gripping him tight enough to make him grimace.

"I see Albus is up to his old tricks again," Voldemort hissed.

Hermione pulled the book closer against her chest and felt a wave of fear at the amusement in his inhuman eyes.

"Tell me, Miss Granger, have you taken a look at the book for which you have chosen to give your life?"

She looked at the book then back at him. "Well no," she muttered amazed that she still had a voice. "But I trust Albus, he gave me this mission and I plan to see it through." She took a shuddering breath. "To the end."

He laughed. A loud, shuddering, gasping sound that made her blood run cold.

"Wh – What's so funny?"

"I have heard this joke before, Miss Granger, only from a different teller and may I say it took a slightly different turn in the version shared with me." He plucked the book from her fingers, grinning grotesquely as her shocked cry.

He opened the book and fluttered the pages till he found the one he sort and started to read. "Oh Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair so that I may climb," the handsome prince called up to the girl in the high tower."


	2. Chapter 2

____________________

_**Order Meeting...**_

Severus Snape leaned casually against the far wall as several order members filed into the meeting room. Molly and Arthur stepped arm in arm and sat together, followed by Kingsley, tall and dark, Moody still holding that touch of insanity he was known for, his magic eye whirling and hissing. Miniva, drawn and birdlike came in a moment later, giving him a curt nod before taking her seat next to Kingsley.

A few moments passed and Remus entered, scarred and tired looking and close on his heels Nymphadora tripped and grabbed his arm; Severus chuckled, amused at the way Remus shut his eyes, obviously trying to be patient with the annoying pink-haired woman. But he had no time to think of the pathetic love life of his so-called friends as at that moment Potter entered, the pathetic Weasley boy hot on his heels, both looking around the room anxiously and sharing a fearful look when the object of their concern could not be found.

The other nauseating redheads entered loudly, arguing about something that Severus had no interest in learning so he tuned them out, watching the door for the man who had called the meeting.

_Late, as usual._

The old dictator liked his entrances the way he liked his life, dramatic and perfectly choreographed.

"Where is she!?"

Snape rolled his eyes when Potter's angry voice penetrated his thoughts. He spared the boy the briefest glower. "Where is who?" he drawled, his lips quirking at the boy's rising temper. So much like his father and yet so much easier to riel.

"You know who, Death-Eater," Potter snarled and his hand twitched in his pocket.

"I wouldn't, boy," Snape replied, his eyes flicking to the wand that Potter had just pulled and back to his emerald eyes. They may be the same colour, but the boy's eyes were nothing like Lily's.

His gaze remained on the boy's glare, unwavering and the slight sneer curling his thin lips making his threat clear to the younger man. His sneer grew wider when Potter was the first to back down. He pulled out his grandfather's old fob watch and flicked it open, completely uninterested in the boy's journey back to his seat or the rabid hissing discussion that began when Potter sat back with the order.

~*~

_**The day before...**_

Hermione stood dead still, not trusting herself to move or to talk. Her brain was spinning, so many thoughts, questions. Her heart constricted painfully. What did this mean? She looked up at the dark, snake-like wizard but before she had time to ask he grinned as though he knew… And probably did.

"No, Miss Granger I am not a virgin, lost that pesky piece of innocence when I was fifteen," he hissed softly.

She was grasping at straws but her mind was working too fast for her to follow. "I took the wrong book," she gasped.

He shook his head and held out the book to her. "Look for yourself."

She took it, careful not to touch his cold fingers and shifting uncomfortably at his knowing chuckle. She looked again to her side where Rodolphus still stood close, his arm securely around her waist. His dark eyes were so soulful and yet gave away nothing as he looked back at her.

"Look at the book Hermione," Rodolphus spoke for the first time since they had entered the mansion. "The leader of the light sent you to your death for this, our lord has given you the chance to find out why."

Hermione nodded and did as she was told. She ran her fingers over the leather covering, the intricate patterns lovingly created by hand.

"Is it not as Albus described it? Was it not in the exact place he said it would be?" Voldermort hissed, his gaze still piercing her soul. "Did the wards not drop as he said they would under the charms he gave you?"

"It is, and they did," she whispered, confusion and something else clouding her logical mind. "He must have been mistaken," she said weakly and knew that it was a lie.

"Open it, Miss Granger,"

She shook her head, suddenly sure that she didn't want to know.

Rodolphus used a single finger to tip her chin up and turn her face so he was looking into her eyes again. "Do as he says, Hermione."

And much to her ire she did as she was told. She looked down at the book again and with trembling fingers opened the first page.

_**Treasured Bedtime Stories**_

Flicking pages she watched in growing dread as page after page revealed nothing but more stories like the one that Voldermort read out loud. Cinderella, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, The Snow Queen...

Needing to be sure, Hermione pulled her wand and gasped when, as one, the line of Death Eaters pulled theirs.

"No!" Voldermort held up one hand to halt his followers then looked back at her. "Use your wand to be sure."

She was coming to hate that knowing smirk but all the same, with a quick look at the dark robed figures against the wall she gave her wand a flick and a swish, silently incanting the spell to reveal any magic used on the book.

Nothing. No magic had been used on the book. This was the book that Dumbledore had sent her to get. This was the book she was about to take her life to preserve. A children's story book. And what about the whole, _Only a virgin can touch the book until the spell within was read out loud_? As an afterthought she looked again at the inside of the front page, where the releasing spell should have been written.

_**To my dearest Severus**_

_**I know you said that you have **_

_**little want for Muggle keepsakes**_

_**But I couldn't help picking this up for you.**_

_**Your ever loving mother**_

_**XOXO**_

"I... I don't understand," she stammered, reading the words again.

"Well isn't it obvious, Miss Granger?" A dour voice that she recognized all too well drew her attention to see Severus Snape watching her closely, his expression giving nothing away.

Looking at the book then back at her old Potions Master, she shook her head. "No, it really isn't," she spoke, more strongly. "Why would Professor Dumbledore send me on a suicide mission to save your story book? What was with all that virginal rubbish?"

"You are a virgin, are you not?"

She felt her cheeks flush and nodded, staring hard at the ground.

"I don't blame you of course, if I were a woman I wouldn't want any of those pathetic whelps touching me either," Severus drawled and when she looked up at him his face held no humour or any sign that he was mocking her. "But believe me if you were not another excuse would have been chosen, more then likely he would have said that it could only be touched by a muggleborn, another attribute about you that is unique in the order."

"Why are you doing this?" she breathed and shifted closer to Rodolphus again. "What do you want with me?" She felt Rodolphus' hand stroke, slowly down her arm and watched Severus hand a small bottle filled with what looked like a silvery liquid to Voldermort.

The pale wizard held the bottle up to the moonlight and turned it slightly this way and that before his red gaze settled on her again. "We wish for you to know the truth."

~*~

_**Order Meeting...**_

Albus did indeed enter the meeting room with a dramatic flare that only he possessed. All fell silent when he appeared in the doorway and all eyes were on him as he made meaningful contact with each of the members before taking his seat at the head of the table.

Severus rolled his eyes at Albus' display. When these fools looked upon the elderly wizard they see a warm loving grandfather, a hero who once defeated a dark wizard much like the Dark Lord, a wise man leading them in the underground alliance against the darkness.

Severus knew better.

"Albus, what's going on?" Molly was the first to ask.

"Where is Hermione?" Potter.

"Yeah, we can't start the meeting without Granger," said one of the twins, Severus didn't care which.

But all hushed at the sound of Albus clearing his throat and they watched him with wide trusting eyes as he stood, straightening his robes as he did. "My friends," he began, his voice purposely frail. "I come to you with bad news concerning our brightest member."

Gasps filled the room and Molly covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide with concern.

"Tell us," Potter said, his eyes shut tight as though he knew already.

"Yesterday I sent Hermione on a mission to recover a book, that if found by the Dark army could be catastrophic to our world." He took a shuddering breath. "The book had certain wards around it and a protection spell that needed a specific kind of witch to collect it and as it happens Hermione was the only witch who had what was necessary."

"You sent her alone?"

"How could you send her without a partner?"

"We never work alone, that's the reason we have gotten as far as we have."

Severus wasn't sure who was calling out what, but they seemed in agreement, at the statement that all their missions were performed with a backup, at which point he locked eyes with Remus, who also knew better.

"SILENCE!" Albus bellowed and the room hushed again. "I will not be questioned on this. Do not presume that I made the decision to send Miss Granger lightly, but the book had to be destroyed and she was the only one who could do it."

"Why weren't we told?" Potter asked indignantly. "Maybe I could have helped, we could have protected her after she pulled down the wards."

"No, it had to be done alone, another by her side could have been used against her to force her hand, and we all know that Miss Granger was too kind hearted to stand by while one of her friends died." Albus held up his hand to block other questions. "That part did not come from me, she asked that I allow her to go alone for that reason and again to stay silent about the mission till she returned. Since she was willing to risk her life for us, I agreed."

That was a lie. Severus knew it was and once again wondered at what trusting fools these people were.

Potter cleared his throat and looked respectfully up at Albus, properly chastened. "Sir, what is the news?"

Albus gave the boy a gentle smile, his eyes full of sorrow and apology.

Severus shook his head and bit his cheek. He hated that look, it made you believe that he cared, but it only went skin deep.

Albus sighed, a soulful sound and blinked rapidly as he looked at his hands, as though trying to stop the prick of tears. "Harry, Ronald I am very sorry to have to tell you that last night Hermione was captured by the dark army."

_~*~_

_**The day before...**_

Hermione looked at the pensive then back at Severus. She opened her mouth then shut it again and simply dipped into the bowl and felt her world swirl around her till she landed with a thump in a room that she recognized instantly as the conservatory at Grimmauld Place. She'd only been in there once during her fifth year when the children had been enlisted to clean the house. However instead of the bright airy room that Sirius himself had given new life, a dark dreary room was in it's place.

Two people sat in the shadows, their voices hushed and heads bowed. She couldn't quite make out their faces but the ominous feel to the room had her shivering in fear and for a moment she considered backing out and simply leaving it be.

"Nothing can hurt you here, Miss Granger, this is all merely my memory."

Hermione jumped and whirled around to face the cold yet amused countenance of Severus Snape.

"Your memory?" She repeated and allowed him to lead her by the elbow further into the room.

Moody and Tonks leaned over a large piece of parchment and with a rush of magic Albus Dumbledore glided in behind them and passed unseeing, with the memory Severus hot on his heels.

"I refuse to take part in this," Memory Severus hissed, his angry black eyes landing on Tonks who was rolling up the parchment with a cold, calculating look on her face. Hermione was taken aback, having always thought the clumsy witch to be kind and gentle.

"We aren't giving you a choice Snape," Tonks spat. "We've already agreed."

Snape turned to Dumbledore who was nodding in agreement and stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Yes Severus you did agree and if we are to keep your ruse with Tom then we must continue."

"Explain!" Memory Severus hissed.

"The girl will be an unfortunate casualty of the war. Killed by the Dark Army in defence of her kind." Dumbledore spoke calmly, seeming distracted by a piece of lint on his blue robe. "She will be awarded the Order of Merlin and live in the memories of children as a heroine."

Memory Severus let out a scoff and turned to Moody, who was watching the pair with interest. "And you agree to this plan?"

Moody gave him a level glare, his eye spinning and whirring loudly. "Something has to be done. Potter is far too reliant on the girl and she can't follow even the simplest command without twenty questions and Potter is beginning to question us as well." He gave memory Snape a grin, but there was something unnerving about it. "The little tart has been filling his head with nonsense, making him think that maybe he should start doing things his own way."

Tonks gave the potions master's arm a pat, smiling sickly sweet when he pulled away sharply. "Sev, three children are not going to win this war, a fact you yourself have made often. We need our own operatives in his life should we want to win this war. Weasley is easily controlled, Granger is not so she is the branch that needs to be pruned from the vine."

The pensive swirled and faded till Severus and Hermione stood alone in white space. Her blood ran cold as she took in the information and she looked to Severus who was staring back at her, his black eyes intense and she found herself unable to look away.

"Why?" she breathed, tears pricking her eyes as she felt her world crumble around her.

His eyebrow quirked. "Why what exactly? Why does Albus find it so easy to dispose of one of his own? Why is it so important that Potter stays blindly loyal to the headmaster? Why do I care?"

She nodded, unable to form the words for a moment. "I know why they did it, it's a shock but for a long time now I have known that my input with Harry was unwelcome. Dumbledore likes to keep everyone under the thumb." She took a shuddering breath.

He chuckled softly, a not completely unpleasant sound. "Know-it-all," he snipped. "I'm impressed, you seem to have come to these conclusions without my help after all."

"But what good will it do me? Yes I know that I have been outed by the order, but since I'm about to be brutally murdered by the Dark Army I fail to see the point."

"Miss Granger, please you can not show so much logic then show so little within the same conversation." He spoke sternly and continued at her shrug and openly confused expression. "If the Dark Lord wanted you dead you would be so already. He may be an evil man but he is also an intelligent one and he sees the worth of a strong mind, even if the bloodline is – unfortunate."

Hermione balked. "He wants me to become a Death Eater?"

He shook his head. "No you are Muggleborn, as I'm sure you are aware, so making you one of them would turn the army against him. But he can reward you for your mind and willingness to turn your back on your bloodline by making you the mistress of one of his faithful."

"What!?"

Severus looked at her evenly, his gaze unwavering. "The choice is yours and you have a total of 30 seconds to make it."

"But I... I haven't... I can't... Why would any of them even want me…?" Her words babbled with her muddled thoughts.

"Do not fish for compliments, girl, I have no time."

"I'm not...!" She returned, outraged her cheeks flushing with mixed embarrassment and anger.

"Have you not wondered why Nymphadora holds such a grudge?" He asked with a single raised eyebrow. "The way she pulls the wolf closer when you enter a room?"

Hermione shut her eyes tight, her mind flashing with moments where Tonks had done just that. At the time Hermione had given it no thought, now it took on a sinister feel. But she was just – well, Hermione. Nothing special really, sure she was smart and loyal, but her last boyfriend had made it clear that she did not have what it took to keep a man interested for long, so she had focused on her other talents.

"I will not pretend to know how you feel, but I do know that this is hard and I am truly sorry for my part... Hermione."

"What if I say no?"

"Then you will die. Voldermort will kill you himself or allow Bellatrix to crucio you to death."

~*~

_**Order Meeting...**_

On Albus' signal, Severus stepped out of the shadow and faced the order, all of whom were glaring at him as though it were his plan all along. As always he would take the blame for the old bastard's deeds and take the hatred and doubt that came with it.

He took a deep breath. "Miss Granger is dead. She acted bravely and was strong to the end," he spoke solemnly, looking pointedly at Nymphadora, Moody, and Albus, all of whom met his eyes evenly and without guilt. "She never once even considered betraying the order and remained loyal and true till her final breath."

"And what did you do?" Potter spoke up, his voice thick and his face flushed with rage. "Who's side were you on when they killed her? Did you help? Did you watch? Did you enjoy it!?"

"Potter, if I were able to duel and win against thirty high ranking Death Eaters then this was would have been over many years ago."

Molly sobbed quietly against Arthur's shirt and he seemed rather teary himself. Ron was glaring into the table as were his brother's. Harry continued to glare at him, his expression murderous. Remus wore a look of shock and sorrow and the witch beside him wore a sad expression that didn't quite hide the smug smile as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders in comfort.

Severus quirked his brow at Nymphadora when Remus pulled away. The wolf patted her shoulder in a friendly manner then moved around towards Harry and took the seat next to the boy.

No doubt the witch had hoped to console Lupin in a more private environment. Severus held little hope for her chances and with that thought his respect for the wolf rose a notch, which put him at one.

Seeing nothing more he could do in the meeting, he gave a nod to Albus and made his way to the door.

He barely made it through the hall when he heard the door open again and spun just in time to see Potter and his sidekick bounding towards him, wands drawn.

"So that's it?!" Potter bellowed. "You tell us you saw Hermione die and then just leave?"

"What else is there?" Severus returned. "She completed her mission and struck a blow."

"You coward!" Potter pressed his wand, had into the potion master's chest. "How can you speak like she was just anyone, like it doesn't matter?"

Too fast for the boy, Severus pulled his own wand, knocked Potter's out of his hand and shoved the boy against the wall. "You want it to mean more?" he spat, bringing his face closer to Potter's. "Then make it count." And with that Severus swept from the house and disaparated .

_~*~_

_**The day before...**_

Rodolphus strode powerfully towards the Dark Lord and dropped to his knees, bowing his head respectfully till the snake-like wizard gave him permission to meet his gaze.

"Rodolphus Lestrange," Voldermort hissed. "You have been a follower for many decades, as was your father before you. A powerful wizard, hard working, obedient, and a true asset to my Dark Army. "

"Thank you, My Lord," he replied. "I was raised on your teachings and want only to serve you till my last breath."

Voldermort nodded approvingly. "Lucius' ignorance almost cost us the loss of a witch, Mudblood though she may be, who has a mind well worth preserving." He looked towards Hermione. "And I believe with the knowledge of her friend's betrayal she will gladly aid us in our works. I believe that she will be a wise and diligent addition in research and translation"

Hermione nodded, her eyes downcast. She felt as though she were floating outside her body watching from above .

"From this day forth, Hermione Jean Granger," Voldermort continued. "You belong to Rodolphus Lestrange, to serve as mistress and confidant. No one may touch you but your master and you may touch none but him without his permission."

Hermione bowed her head as she stood before Rodolphus. He lifted her face with two fingers beneath her chin so she was looking into his dark brown eyes. For a long time he stared into her eyes but Hermione couldn't feel him probing her mind.

"Obedience and loyalty is what I require," he murmured, his hand cupping her face, thumb caressing her jaw. "Submit to me completely and I offer my protection, you will want for nothing, and as my mistress I will make you burn as every woman should in her master's bed."

No man had ever looked at her the way he did. This strange mixture of power and desire was scary and exciting. It was wrong. She knew it was, but as she looked up into his ruggedly handsome face she knew that he wasn't lying.

She covered his larger hand with her own and closed her eyes, pressing her cheek harder against his rough fingers. "You saved my life," she said allowing him to see the fear, the uncertainty and the cautious trust in her eyes. "I am yours."


	3. Chapter 3

____________________

The water was warm and silky around her naked body. With a relaxed sigh Hermione leaned her head back against the soft bath pillow and stretched her legs, wriggling her toes. Opening her eyes she looked around the bathroom. Five candles floated above, making the shadows dance and quiver all around her. Somewhere, music played just loud enough for her to hear and enjoy but not to interrupt her calm.

The door opened behind her, and she knew by the sounds clinking oil and magical water bottles that the house elf had returned. Hermione turned her head and smiled warmly at the tiny elf, who practically bounced with joy at her approval.

"Kispy has brought Mistress Granger some sweet oils and rose water to make her skin all soft," Kispy squeaked and placed the large basket on the nearby table.

"Thank you Kispy," Hermione replied. "Why don't you sit for a moment and have a rest, that basket looks very heavy."

The elf squeaked and covered her mouth, large round tears forming and rolling down her cheeks. "Oh, Mistress Granger, you are being so kind to Kispy, but I couldn't possibly."

"Of course you can," Hermione said impatiently. "Now sit and take a deep breath, I can't relax the way your master wants if you don't."

With a timid smile Kispy sat on a little side chair and wiped her eyes on her tea-towel dress.

Once again Hermione shut her eyes and lay back to enjoy the warmth. "Mmm, Kispy this bath is amazing, how do you get the water so..." she lifted her hand out of the water and let the droplets slide from her fingers. "Silky." she giggled. "Is that the right word?"

Kispy stood and moved towards the basket. "It's a spell miss." She said, pulling out a pretty bottle filled with a sparkling pink potion. "Pureblood wizards have been using it for centuries to help their bride's relax before the wedding night."

"You know, I should be outraged," Hermione said in an almost musical tone and stretched her legs and arched her back. "But this just feels so good, all warm and tingly."

~*~

In another part of the castle two figures watched the Muggleborn bathe. She seemed to be enjoying the pure-bride bath and when the elf asked her to sit up so it could wash her hair, she did so. Sitting up slowly, her long brown curls flowed like chocolate down her back and over her shoulders. Water slid down her chest and dripped in long lazy drops from her full, pert breasts.

Belatrix scrutinized her husband as he watched, his gaze was entranced, widening and narrowing, his hands flexing in his need to touch the mudblood.

_My husband,_ she thought with a scoff.

Certainly they were married but the act of husband and wife had ended many years before, right around the time the Dark Lord had requested her warmth in his bed. She had been delighted to be favouredin such a way as had Rodolphus, giving her willingly. He had been so proud to be married to the object of their Lord's desire.

But ever since there had been a new underlying tension between them, neither wished to give it voice for the obvious reason but they both knew why.

But now... Now it would be different. With this new gift from their Lord, what was taken had been returned and she could see that her husband was pleased. He had that look in his eyes again. That all too sexy mixture of masculinity and hungry beast.

She ran her long fingers over Rodolphus' broad back, loving the way his muscles flexed and gave him a slow sensual smirk when he glanced at her over his shoulder. "She is perfection, Rodolphus. It is a pity about her blood."

"She is a witch," Rodolphus murmured, giving a deep moan when Belatrix grazed her lips over his throat and shoulder. "She will moan when I touch her, beg when I tie her down, scream for more when I make her bleed."

Belatrix felt a shiver go up her spine. His lust for domination was all too alluring and matched her own so perfectly. Their joinings had always been more battles for control, both loving those moments when they would have power over the other. Occasionally one would allow the other dominance, but since they both came together in shuddering pleasure... She grinned and licked her lips, there was no need to finish that thought.

As if sensing her thoughts he yanked her forward, tangling his hands in her long black hair. He pulled her flush against his chest and growled as he crushed her breasts deliciously against him. Gliding her hands up his strong arms, she curled one long leg around his thigh and for a long time they simply looked at one another.

Pulling her hair sharply, he forced her head back, revealing her throat to his hungry eyes. With agonizing slowness he licked his rough tongue up the creamy column, groaning when she shivered with delight.

Rodolphus grazed his teeth over the junction of her neck and shoulder and cupped her arse, pulling her harder against his growing erection. "Say it," he growled and spun her around, forcing her to look into the crystal and the virginal woman tipping her head to the side with a moan as the elf washed her back.

"I won't," she moaned, loving the tease and the sharp sting when he dug his fingers into her hips.

"There will be no part of her perfect body that I will not taste," he whispered. She struggled but he held fast and nipped at her earlobe with his sharp teeth. "She will submit to my every desire, and I will roar my pleasure to the stars when I take her untouched, virgin cunt."

Jealousy and lust rocked through her smaller body at his words. "I hate her," she breathed and pulled out of his arms, spinning to glare into his dark eyes, showing him her jealousy and rage.

Rodolphus grinned, wolfishly baring his sharp, dangerous looking teeth. "Good," he growled, his voice gruff and he pulled her against him again, smashing his mouth down on hers. He pulled at her hair painfully and his teeth clashed against hers with the force of his kiss then shoved her away and smirked at her outraged cry, looking back at the crystal just in time to watch Hermione being wrapped in a large white towel.

Rodolphus stifled his angry growl at the fact that he'd missed watching his mistress getting out of the bath, after all there was plenty of time to see all that he wanted to see and more. He watched as she tipped her head back and rolled her slim shoulders and the towel, though large, left little to the imagination falling over her soft curves and leaving her long, shapely legs bare...

With a groan he pressed his hand against his swelling cock, trying to ease some of the pressure.

"Let me take care of that for you," his wife purred, covering his hand with her own and forcing him to squeeze the painful bulge and pressed her lips against his jaw.

He swept her hand away and grabbed his leather vest, grinning widely at the hurt expression on his wife's face as he put it on. "Sorry wife, but you are not the reason why my blood pulses south tonight. I want to play with my new toy."

His hand on the door knob, he was almost out when Belatrix grabbed his hand and forced him to face her. Before he could scold her she pulled his hand to her chest and held it firmly over her heart, her steely grey eyes piercing his. "It beats for you," she whispered and he felt his own heart skip a beat.

It had been a long time since she had expressed anything, even close to, emotional around him. "As does mine for you," He replied gruffly and left the room.

~*~

Hermione was standing by the window, enjoying the warm summer breeze when she heard her door shut and knew that her master had arrived. Her door was warded so that only he could enter and maybe it was foolish to feel touched by the protective gesture but she did all the same.

It was wrong, everything, but what could she do? Until Severus became more forthcoming or she came up with a plan to discover who or what the Order of the Phoenix really was, this would be her life. She knew how dangerous Rodolphus was, Merlin, he carried the blood on his hands with pride. And yet he had kept his promise and kept her safe through her meeting with Voldermort, even now he was protecting her with the wards.

She turned to find Rodolphus watching her. He stood totally still in the center of the room, his huge, muscular body seeming to dance with shadows in the flickering candlelight. In his black leather pants and vest, he was like every man she'd ever fantasied about, wrapped into one very sexy body, and she'd be lying if she said that his demand for her submission hadn't excited her.

Since she had no idea how long she would live this way, was it really so wrong to make the best of it? After all it wasn't like any of her so-called friends would care. She had spent her whole life putting them first and yet the only person who cared whether she lived or died was this man.

Decision made, her mind buzzing from the charmed bath, Hermione ran an uncertain hand over her sheer white robe and bowed her head in submission. "Good evening, Rodolphus." she spoke quietly and felt her nipples tingle and tighten under his heated gaze.

"A very good evening indeed, Hermione," he replied.

The gruffness to his voice made her look up and she inhaled sharply at the dark hunger in his eyes. It took him three long strides to be at her side and before she could back away his hand snapped out and his fingers encircled her wrist. He squeezed tight enough to make her wince and sneered when she did so.

She gave a whimper as he pulled her against his broad chest. One arm encircled her waist and the other released her wrist to weave into her hair. "Please..." She gasped.

Rodolphus pulled her hair roughly and forced her to look into his eyes. "We are going to have a little chat, you and I," he breathed, breath smelling faintly of firewhiskey and cigarettes. "Do you understand?"

She tried to nod, but his fingers tangled in her hair tightened just enough to sting. "Yes,"

"Yes, what?" He growled.

"Y – yes, My Lord." She felt her whole body warm and tingle under his approving smile.

"That's my girl," he cooed and brushed his lips over hers, just enough to let her feel the heat of his mouth. "Now, tell me. You must be at least twenty-one, why are you yet to lose your virginity?"

She pulled back at his question and gasped when he gave another sharp tug at her hair. "Like you need to ask," she finally answered with a touch of bitterness. "I'm the bookworm, plain, dull, the one all the boys notice when they need someone to do their homework, or need advice about other girls." She averted her eyes.

"Do you want to know what I think, Hermione?" He murmured, his hand gently caressing her back. She found that she could nod and did so. "I think you hide. Hide behind books, behind your cleverness, behind layers of thick unflattering clothing. I think it's because you're afraid." Those last words were whispered into her ear.

"I am not afraid, it just gets so loud – in my mind – my thoughts." She knew she wasn't making any sense. "When I like someone, everything just gets so complicated."

His smile was slow and she felt the same tingling again. "I see, well I am going to make everything very simple," he murmured and again brushed his lips over hers, flicking out his tongue to give her lower lip, a quick sensual lick. She cried out softly and parted her lips for more but he drew back with a chuckle. "You are mine and you will do as I say, without question, without thought."

Her breath left her lungs in a long gust and she felt her whole body flush. "W – will you hurt me?"

"A little," he said, his lips quirking at the way her body trembled. "But only when you disobey me. That isn't going to happen though, is it?"

"No." Another sharp tug at her hair made her gasp. "My Lord."

Rodolphus reveled in the rush of power. The way she responded to his touch and shivered at his words. He could almost taste her innocence... So sweet. Hermione was a true submissive just begging for a big bad man like him to dominate her.

"Good girl," he said and let his approval show in his expression.

Not for the first time he was taken aback by her large, brown eyes. A man could drown in eyes like those, so wide, so hopeful and trusting. No one had ever looked at him the way she did.

"What are you going to do with me?" She breathed.

He let his lips curl into a lustful grin. "I am going to fuck you," he whispered into her ear and felt her shiver when he flicked out his tongue to lap at her earlobe. "As hard as I want whenever I want."

She gasped and tried to pull away but he did not release her. "I... I've never..."

He shushed her and flicked out his tongue to taste her curved upper lip. So sweet. "I know my sweet, pure virgin, but I'll teach you." He placed a gentle kiss at the corner of her mouth, loving the way her lips quivered, loving the tease - that she could be teased. "You have no idea how much I want you, the things I want to do to you."

"Like... Like what?" she asked and he suspected that she was simply trying to keep her mind in place.

He moaned and slowly pushed her back against the wall, sandwiching her between the hard wood and his hot body. He kicked her legs apart and bent his to position his trapped cock against her core, groaning, he could feel how hot she was there.

Licking his lips slowly, he began to move, rubbing the painfully hard bulge in his pants against her quickly heating core. Up and down, up and down, easing the pressure in his balls and making her mew. Rodolphus watched as her eyes clouded over, watched her lips part to take in more air as he rubbed.

Even through his leather pants he could feel how wet she was. "You want to know what I want? I want to explore every sordid fantasy that fills my mind when I sleep, things that my wife would never allow." He wound her arms around his shoulders then reached down to grip her upper thighs, holding her in place as he rubbed harder, tilting his hips to get the best angle to stroke her clit. He watched wide eyed as her face flushed with desire, and her lips turned upwards as her body felt this sensual pleasure for the first time.

He dipped his head so his mouth was by her ear again, still rubbing his trapped cock against her shielded cunt. Her gasping breaths and soft cries of pleasure were like music to his ears. Rodolphus had always enjoyed pleasuring the women in his bed, but none had filled him with such satisfaction and masculine pride.

"I want to thrust my thick cock deep inside your cunt, your arse, your mouth." He felt her arch and knew that she was close to climax, he rubbed faster, groaning as his balls tightened almost painfully. "I want to strap you to the wall, trapped and helpless as I fuck you, taking my pleasure over and over until you beg me to let you feel your sweet release as well."

"M – My Lord," she cried out and arched against him, thrusting her hips vigorously in an effort to find her climax. "I... Something's happening... Can't stop... Afraid..."

"No," he breathed into her ear and licked slowly up her throat, feeling her pulse spike. "Let it come, let go and just feel." He words moaned out of his lips as he cock flexed with the sweetest agony, and he rubbed faster, long, smooth strokes of their covered parts, aching to join.

Rodolphus watched through lust clouded eyes as Hermione's eyes flew wide. Her mouth fell open and she was making the sexiest noises he had ever heard. Long, high pitched cries on the brink of ultimate pleasure and fear. Her first real orgasm with a man. She trembled and shuddered and her fingers dug into his shoulders. He watched as the first wave of orgasmic bliss swept though her body, and just kept on stroking, rutting and grinning wickedly when she arched and cried out again.

All at once the Death Eater felt his own legs go weak. His thighs trembled and he groaned and dropped his head to her shoulder as he rutted and pulled her roughly against him, his own carnal climax flowing through him in long, burning waves.

After another moment he picked up his new toy and carried her to the bed, laying her down and covering her with the sheet. She would need a rest and he needed a drink and to scorify his pants. That had never happened before. He wasn't a bloody teenager any more...

He looked down at her relaxed form and swallowed hard. Part of him wanted to lay down beside her, let his still shaking body curl up to her warmth and sleep until they were ready to go again.

With an angry growl he turned away and marched from the bedroom. He really needed a drink.


	4. Chapter 4

____________________

Her heart was beating so hard it seemed to echo around the bedroom. The bed was soft and comfortable, but Hermione couldn't rest. Her mind seemed to be working a mile a minute, thoughts visions, sensations making her tremble and blush. How could she have done that? How could she have allowed him to...

She felt her body heat and her core flood at the thought of what had just transpired. She could still feel him against her, even though he had left the room. That hard bulge in his pants rubbing so intimately against her. Making her feel things that were wrong before marriage; a lecture often bestowed by her mother. Sure she knew that was an outdated guilt and one she had argued against on more then one occasion. But deep down, it still felt wrong.

"I can't do this," she hissed and just like that she knew that she had to escape.

No matter what the cost, this was worse. The pure-bride bath had worn off and for the first time since the field her mind was working logically again.

It was time to go, while she still had her own mind she had to go. "I can't go back to the Order," she said softly. "But who says I have to? I just have to get away from here. Everything else can be decided later."

Decision made, Hermione rolled out of the bed, grabbed her simple white shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders. Wand... She almost laughed out loud when she saw it sitting neatly on the bedside table. She wondered why they hadn't taken it away, but there was no time. Later. She would think about it later.

Grabbing the wand and tying her hair back out of her face she checked the mirror quickly. In case she was seen it would look better if she didn't look as though she were fleeing. She ran for the door and flung it open but was thrown aside as the door was pulled by another hand.

Hermione screamed her shock when she saw Rodolphus' large frame filling the doorway. She backed away from him, shuddering at his thunderous expression.

"Going somewhere?" His voice was low and soft but his expression showed the violence that bubbled beneath.

"I – Well I..." She cringed and backed away another step as he stepped closer. "I was just going to wash up a bit." She made a flat breathless laugh. "You know, splash my face, Br – brush my teeth?"

"Ah-ha," he murmured and took another tremulous step forward. "So, you wouldn't be running away at all?"

She gave another breathless laugh, cringing at how shrill it sounded to her ears. "No! Of – Of course not. What? Me run away? Never."

"Well good," he replied, his tone still soft and dangerous. "Because if you were, I would have to punish you." He took another step and as he did pulled off his vest and let it drop to the ground. "Ooh the things I would have to do to you."

A shiver of excitement burned down her spine and pooled in her lower belly. Damn! She had to get away. Away from him, from this. Merlin, away from him!

"Stop," Hermione rasped and pulled her wand pointing it at his heart.

His lips curled into a slow, all too sensual grin that made her toes curl and her own lips tingle.

"Are you going to kill me, Hermione?" He took another step, his expression giving away nothing.

"I have to go, and you are going to let me."

His eyes narrowed. "I was hoping you would say that."

"W – What?"

All too fast he advanced, knocking the wand out of her hand. With a gasp she tried to run but he grabbed her arm and yanked her against him, pulling her roughly till her back was flush against his hard front. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her harder against him and she gasped at the feel of his trapped erection, pressing against her bottom.

"Ooh..." His voice was low and sensual in her ear. "The things I'll have to do..."

P – Please," she stuttered. "I can't do this..." She struggled and whimpered at the way his arm tightened. "Damn it, Rodolphus. If I couldn't do this with Ronald, how can I do it with you?"

She felt his arm relax slightly but before she could take a relieved breath, his arm tightened again. "My heart bleeds, mudblood," he sneered and shoved her hard against the high bed-post.

"Please. My Lord please don't," she pleaded her body shuddering with new fear and disturbing desire.

But he wasn't listening as he pulled her arms roughly above her head and tied them with what looked like a silvery rope. She was left helpless, hands tied, and her powerful master standing, unseen behind her.

_Merlin, Woman!_ She screamed in her head as she pulled fruitlessly against the rope and felt another hot shiver of excitement slide down her spine and settle like warm honey in her lower belly. _Stop thinking about sex and get yourself out of this. You've Helped Sirius Black escape the Dementors, fed Umbridge to a giant, you brought Draco Malfoy to his knees in seventh year...._

But none of that made a lick of difference. With a whispered spell, her captor cut through her white robe so it fell to her feet, leaving her bare to his heated gaze. She heard him groan, a deep rumbling sound that seemed to shudder through her whole body.

His first touch made her gasp. One finger ran slowly down her spine, arousing every nerve to sharp attention. A soft mewing escaped her lips as his fingers flickered over the sensitive flesh of her bottom.

"So responsive," He purred, his hot breath gusting against her throat. "You've been a very bad girl, Hermione." He tugged sharply at her hair.

"Yes, my Lord," she gasped and arched.

"Mmm, _yes my Lord_." His tongue licked slowly up her throat as his voice rumbled. "I like the way that sounds on those sweet lips."

His voice was intoxicating and his touch made her tremble like none had before. There should have been shame, anger, repugnance! But another part of her arched again and purred. What good were those emotions when her Lord had her tied and completely in his power. She was helpless and completely at this man's mercy. And damn but that thought sent another wave of heat through her whole body.

Against her will a soft moan escaped her lips and it was answered by a deep chuckle from her master. He leaned closer, pressing his larger body against hers, his lips ticking the shell of her ear.

"My sweet slave," he murmured, gently pulling her hair to the side to bare her throat to his lips. "The desire I can feel heating your flesh is like none I have beheld. You speak of that whelp Weasley, but I think you will agree that we are two very - different - men."

She nodded and inhaled sharply at the feel of his long fingers at her back.

She was exquisite. Pure perfection in the form of this simple young woman. The way she trembled under his fingers, sighed at his touch. He couldn't remember ever wanting anyone the way he wanted her and she was his.

His mouth brushed over her throat, tongue flicking over her pulse, feeling it jump and his arousal spiked with it.

"Mine," he growled against her shoulder. "My sweet, sweet slave."

"Yes, My Lord," she gasped.

Rodolphus stood back to admire his new toy and felt his cock flex painfully against the front of his pants. Seeing Potter's Mudblood, naked, her bare flesh seeming to glow in the moonlight, was almost too much. He refrained from adding pressure to his straining crotch as he feared that even that small touch would make him come in his pants... again.

The scene before him was quite simply the sexiest view he had ever beheld. Hermione's arms were held high above her head, showing the long smooth line of her back and the gentle curve of her waist, hips, and her luscious arse. While Bellatrix was tall and slim and willowy with small pert breasts, rather like an ice sculpture he had seen once as a boy, Hermione was rounded, curvy, soft... warm. Her breasts large and full, her body pure and untouched by other men...

He shook his head. These thoughts were not needed. He loved his wife, had loved and lusted after her since he was fifteen. Hermione was simply a contrast and it served to purpose that she would be a different woman in form and nature.

All at once he remembered why he had her tied. She had tried to run. He grinned smugly at the way her breaths came quickly and the obvious wetness on her inner thighs. Whether she was willing to admit it or not, Hermione wanted his dominance and though the first time would be painful, in time she would scream for his cock.

Never the less, she needed to be punished. He could not let her disobedience pass. He closed in again and she gasped when he placed a soft kiss on her bare shoulder. His hand slid down her back till he cupped her soft arse cheek and squeezed just hard enough to make her cry out softly, and he knew full well that it was _not_ pain that made her cry. He was well skilled in both pain and pleasure and knew how to give his slave both.

"Tonight I will be the first man to stretch your tight cunt around my thick, very hard cock," he said, grinning at the way she trembled and the fresh flood of liquid arousal where his finger gently circled her virgin slit. So, _the prim and proper bookworm likes dirty talk_. "But I must also punish you for your earlier bad behaviour."

She shivered and pressed more firmly against his hand. "Ye... Yes, My Lord. I am very sorry, I became scared when you left... I swear that it won't happen again."

"No – it won't," he said sternly. "Now I am going to unfasten your hands and you will walk to the desk, bend over it and grip the sides with your hands. You will not let go until I instruct it."

"My... My Lord, Please..."

"You will not question me!" He bellowed and watched her shiver again, this time in fear.

"Yes my Lord, I will do as I am told."

Satisfied he whispered the charm to unfasten her hands and watched with interest as she rubbed wrists for a moment before flicking fearful eyes at him and moving towards the desk. She bent over the hard wood and gripped the sides of the desk.

Rodolphus groaned as another wave of hot lust rocketed through his large body and drew even more blood to his engorged cock. He had thought her tied was erotic, this was way past that. Bent over, Hermione presented her luscious round arse to his hungry eyes. He had a clear view of her toned thighs and a agonising tease of her wet, pussy lips.

He had to take several deep breaths before he was ready to approach. It had been a long time since he had felt this aroused, not since he was fourteen and had found his father's secret collection of magazines. He remembered encircling his cock with his hand for the first time, the forbidden thrill, the burning rush of pleasure as he stroked himself watching those filthy sluts present their cunts for the camera. Rodolphus grinned, he and his cock had been very close friends from that day on.

But this woman was not magazine slut. She was pure, innocent and good, and she was all his. His hand rested on her upturned arse, and gently caressed her soft, creamy flesh for a moment. Her mewing and gently shifts telling him how much she enjoyed his touch.

His lip curled and his expression grew stern as he remembered her disobedience again. And without further thought he pulled back his hand and delivered a sharp slap to one creamy cheek. The smack stung his hand and his slave cried out, but did not attempt to escape. He smacked her again and she whimpered, again and again and again. It was not until the tenth smack of his large hand against her tender arse that he noticed that though she whimpered, the muggleborn was raising her arse to his hand with every strike.

It was too much. He had to take her now or he would go mad.

Hermione gasped when Rodolphus suddenly yanked her to her feet.

He spun her to face him and pulled her flush against his broad chest. "My sweet slave," he murmured, his voice husky. "You have pleased me very much."

A new bubble of pride and joy seemed to grow within her chest and she smiled shyly up at her master. "Thank you, My Lord."

He cupped her face and tipped her chin up so she was gazing straight into his dark eyes. "j'ai besoin de toi," he rasped in French.

_I need you_

And he picked her up, one arm behind her shoulders, the other under her knees. "Mon chérie, this one time I will be gentle. But I warn you do not get used to it." He leaned closer, his hot breath tickling her lips. "I am not a gentle man."

"I understand," she whispered, and offered another shy smile. "Thank you My Lord."

He set her on the large bed and she sat up, knees bent and her hands covering her breasts. He grinned and chuckled at her modesty and she felt her cheeks flush.

She watched, her heart beating faster, as he slowly unbuttoned his leather pants, and gasped, her eyes growing wide when his long, thick manhood sprung free.

Back at Hogwarts, Hermione had caught a glimpse of Lavender's Playwitch magazine, but none of those men looked anything like Rodolphus. He stood so tall, his shoulders so wide. His body was muscular and strong, his legs long and lean and meeting at a thick thatch of dark auburn hair...

"Like what you see?" His gruff voice pulled her out of her thoughts with a start.

"I... I, um... You – You're beautiful." Was all she could manage.

He raised a curious brow, by seemed pleased with her statement. Before she was ready Rodolphus was crawling towards her on the bed, slow, predatory, every movement deliberate as she lay back and he covered her smaller body with his larger one.

Propping himself on his elbow, his dark, soulful eyes watched her closely. His large hand caressed, gently up over her hip, her waist, his fingertips tickled the side of her breast, before moving downwards again with agonizing slowness.

Her whole body ached with need and frustration made her whimper. When her eyes flickered open again he was smirking down at her, seeming to know exactly what she wanted and simply teasing her.

"Rodolphus," she moaned breathlessly, arching her back and curling her hands around his shoulders.

His eyes clouded and his expression softened slightly, but it was gone in the same moment. "Impatient little muggleborn aren't we?" he murmured, his mouth grazing hotly over her cheek then down her throat. His hand cupped her breast and he groaned when her nipple hardened against his palm.

Hermione mewed and nodded. She shivered as his hand moved downwards again, over her hip and slowly inwards to tease the fine curls that covered her sensitive mons. A whimper escaped her as his long fingers parted her nether lips and dipped gently inside.

"Ooh," she moaned and parted her thighs a little further, giving him more access to her intimate core.

His mouth ghosted over hers, close but so far as his fingers rubbed her clitoris in tiny circles sending long ripples of pleasure through her body. "Tu es magnifique," he breathed and parted her thighs further, settling himself between them.

And he was there, thick and hot against her soaking opening. This new contact made her eyes flick wide. "I... Rodolphus?"

"Shh," he shushed her, his fingers stroking her cheek, hand shaking slightly. "Don't tense up, Cherie."

With a gentle thrust of his hips he pushed the head of his erection into her untouched passage, spreading her wide. A soft cry left her lips as he filled her with more heat, his short even thrusts taking him deeper with every push. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and with a long, broken groan he gripped her hips and thrust home.

The sharp sting of his invasion made her gasp but it was gone sooner then she expected, leaving her with the delicious sensation of fullness, being stretched to capacity in the most exciting way possible. She bent her knees to bring him deeper and circled her hips, moaning her pleasure and doing it again.

"Fuck..." He hissed, all traces of tenderness gone as he grinned wolfishly down at her. "You feel so fucking good." He took her lips in a passionate, wide mouthed kiss as he withdrew smoothly almost all the way out and then back inside with a groan.

His body was so hot, so large over hers and the muscles in his shoulders and back knotted and flexed under her hands with every long, deliberate thrust of his lower body. It was all Hermione could do to hold on to him and feel, arching and whispering his name over and over as he took her.

Everything about Rodolphus was intoxicating. His auburn hair hung either side of his ruggedly handsome face, his eyes boring into her soul, his lips parted and slightly upturned with every ragged breath he drew. The musky scent of him permeated around them, and the sounds of their mingled lust filled the room. And, oh Merlin, his huge body shimmered in the candlelight as sweat spiking under her fingers.

All at once he was moving faster, his long thick cock pumping deep and hard. He dipped his head again and flicked his tongue sensuously into her mouth. "Ooh yeah," he growled, thrusting faster, nipping at her jaw. "You were built to be fucked ... Made for my cock..."

The pressure was building in her lower body, hot and so sweet. He was stretching her more then she thought possible and with every deep plunge he was assaulting her swollen clit just enough, dragging her with him through the gates of bliss.

"Merlin, Rodolphus, Ooh!" she rasped, her throat parched as her head flicked from side to side.

She was so close. Her body trembled as she teetered on the pinnacle, so close to completion but somehow so far. Her nails scratched down his flexing, sweat soaked back and she wound her legs around his hips, desperate for more friction.

Arching, thrusting, crying out in mingled pleasure and frustration, she demanded the rapture that his perfect sexy body promised. "Merlin, please, oh please Rodolphus... Make me yours... So close..."

Growling into her ear, his hands gripped her hips tighter, holding her in place as his cock pistoned in and out, slamming into her with a force and fury. He was a primal beast, growling and grunting in her ear, his sweat mingling with her own, his body heavy and his breath hot against her face.

Their bodies strained against one another, each reaching towards that one blissful point and each dragging the other closer. Then all at once her body arched violently, her sheath contracting again and again around his flexing cock. Scolding heat suddenly exploded from where he filled her with a sweet intensity that was both terrifying and thrilling and somewhere in the distance she heard and felt him give a cracked roar and stiffen as his body was wracked by his own carnal release.

Rodolphus collapsed on top of the smaller witch and wrapped his arms around her still trembling body. His mind and body buzzed but with a few deep calming breaths he managed to roll away and stare up at the ceiling as his heart slowed and the breeze cooled his sweat covered body. He turned his head to the side when he felt her smaller body curl against his. She sighed softly and her breaths came deep and even in her sated sleep.

Remembering the way her body had felt beneath his, that perfect silent scream when she came, Rodolphus felt a strong wave of masculine pride. But looking at her so fragile, her hair a mess of curls over the pillow and her cheeks flushed with their exertion, a sharp sliver of guilt slid through his mind.

She was a woman in every meaning of the word, fragile and gentle and yet passionate and eager for the carnal desires of man and woman. The young woman had so much warmth and sweetness. The way she had stroked her fingers through his hair in those first few minutes after, the way she moaned and whispered his name over and over. If this were her wedding night, her husband could not be more sure that he was cherished… Loved.

_I robbed her of this gift._

She shivered and shifted and for a moment Rodolphus wondered what it would be like to wrap her in his arms, pull the blanket over them both and...

Rolling his eyes he pulled away and covered her naked body with the blanket, trying not to smile when she grumbled and snuggled into the warmth. He shook his head and turned away, dressing quickly and leaving before he could sneak another look.

It was just the afterglow. Nothing more.

~*~

He strode quickly to his wife's rooms. She was awake, he knew she was. Awake and waiting for him, the way she had been waiting for several years now, and tonight he would be her husband.

When he reached her door, he threw it open, not bothering to knock. Belatrix was indeed awake and she jumped to her feet when he entered, her cheeks flushing.

"Husband," she breathed, watching him closely, carefully as he approached with slow deliberate steps.

"Wife," he growled and wound his arm around her waist, pulling her to him with a wolfish grin. "You should know that it would take more then a filthy-blooded virgin to sate my lust."

His mouth slanted over hers, taking her lips in a deep possessive kiss. But as they fought for domination on the bed, Rodolphus' head filled with Hermione's voice, whispering his name so tenderly.

When he shuddered over his keening wife, it was Hermione's body arching and whispering his name beneath him. He opened his eyes, breathing still harsh, to Belatrix's sultry and very smug grin.

"I have missed you, my Husband." Her voice was still slightly gruff from their shared exertion.

"And I, you. Wife."


	5. Chapter 5

_______________________

Days passed into weeks and before Hermione was aware two weeks had passed. Her life was so different now, and to be honest she wasn't sure if it was better or worse then before. She supposed that it was just different.

She had no friends, no allies, but then, had she ever? At least now she knew the truth and knew where she stood, knew her place. She had always felt happy in the world of fact and knowledge, and now that she was back, she decided that her life was better.

Her eyes hurt as she shut the large book of Ancient magical history with a self-satisfied 'thunk'. After translating runes for over four hours she was in need of a rest and some food. With a drawn out groan, Hermione stood and stretched her arms above her head, tipping to one side then the other, slowly stretching all her cramped muscles.

Her hands slid over her simple white servant's robe. Two thin straps widened to barely cover her full breasts and fell to mid-thigh, a simple black leather strap tied around her slim waist. The old Hermione would never have worn something so revealing, but being the mistress of Rodolphus Lestrange had brought about a new confidence and ease that she had never had before.

Rodolphus… He had been true to his promise and was not a gentle man. His hands were rough, his mouth wickedly exciting in his passion and skill, and his tongue sharp and quick to put her back in her place when she overstepped. But he had protected her as promised. Though she often felt the gazes of several of the men who lived within the manor, none had approached her, though she often heard their hissed words as she passed…

"Long day?" The soft, silky smooth voice of Narcissa Malfoy made her turn in surprise.

"Oh!" Hermione blushed and smiled shyly. "Yes, but I don't mind. Ancient Runes was my favourite class at Hogwarts."

"Yes, I remember Draco coming home with stories of your unnatural intelligence and skill." The woman said, her tone sickly-sweet. "You rose above your station, almost seemed to take pleasure in your defiance…"

Hermione had no idea how to respond and fearing retribution she simply inclined her head with an apologetic smile. "I should go, I'll need to bathe and change my robe before my Master arrives."

She moved to the door and was about to exit when Narcissa's perfectly manicured hand wrapped around her wrist. The cool pureblood gave the younger witch an appraising look, making her feel naked under her searching gaze.

"M… Mrs Malfoy?" Hermione stammered and tried to pull back her arm, only to find her grip unbreakable. The slight woman was stronger then she looked.

"Has he hurt you?" She hissed.

Confused by the usually frosty pureblood's concern and this sudden change in tone, Hermione was quick to reply. "No, he has treated me well."

Narcissa nodded and offered a shaky smile. "He always was different to the others." She looked towards the door then back. "Miss Granger, I need your help but we can't talk here. Will you help me?"

Hermione blinked. "Yes, of course I will," she replied without thinking and almost screamed when the pureblood pulled the younger woman into her arms.

"Thank you," Narcissa breathed and squeezed tightly. "I'll come again when I have a place."

And just like that, she was gone, leaving Hermione looking at the empty space.

It was over so fast, a matter of seconds. She wondered if Narcissa had been there at all. If it wasn't for the five half-moon indents in her arm she just might have talked herself into believing that.

Shaking her head, Hermione pulled her wand and quickly healed the marks.

~*~

Rodolphus was tired and horny as all bloody hell as he swung open the door to his Mistress' quarters and marched in. He heard sounds from the bathroom and grunted his approval, knowing that she was bathing and preparing herself to please him. He liked that.

Stripping the vest from his sweat-dampened back, he threw it over the coat hook and sat to remove his boots. He didn't realize that she was unaware of his presence till he heard her soft voice filtering through the partly shut door. She was singing, making each note with teasing ease. He closed his eyes and could see the soft, relaxed smile on her pretty mouth.

He tipped his head to one side then the other , growling low in his throat in contentment. He loved the way his life seemed to be panning out. His wife back in his bed and a perfectly delicious mistress ready and willing to please him on call. What more could a dark wizard ask for?

Well, a bath would be nice…

He tucked his boots and socks under the bed and deftly unbuttoned his pants and pulled the tight leather down his strong legs. Damn it felt good to be free of them.

All the while the singing continued and her voice grew louder as he moved towards the door.

…_And when he's strong _

_he's strong for you_

_And when you kiss_

_It's something new,_

_But did you ever call my name…_

_Just by mistake._

"What is that?" He said, his voice quiet so as not to startle her.

She turned and at his voice and her cheeks pinkened as she smiled sheepishly. "It's David Bowie… He's a muggle singer." Her voice hushed off at his raised eyebrow. "It's called A Song For Hermione." She giggled and looked away self-consciously.

Rodolphus shrugged. "It's nice, for muggle nonsense." He added the last words quickly and gave her a lopsided grin when she glared up at him. "Now make some room, you aren't the only one who's filthy today."

She shifted obediently, but there was no missing the way her brown eyes flashed in her anger. He was impressed by her control and by the time he had lowered himself into the warm water, his cock was rock hard and ready for her attention. He heard her breath hitch and his eyes were immediately drawn to her tight nipples and the gentle flush that swept up her body.

"Come here Cherie," he ordered.

"Yes, My Lord," she replied obediently, her voice husky as she moved towards him in the water.

Rodolphus wound his arms around her waist and pulled so her back was against his broad front. He groaned his approval at how soft and silky she felt against him. His mouth ghosted down her throat to nip her shoulder.

Hermione mewed and arched against him, writhing torturously over his thick cock, pressing so intimately against her moist centre.

He pushed her away with a single harsh shove. "Wash me," he ordered and smirked at her confused expression.

Those huge eyes seemed to bore into his soul. He wanted to push that innocent face under the water, feel those plump lips wrap around his cock. He liked the confusion in her expression. It would do him any good to have the mudblood too comfortable in his presence or to start to believe herself above her station.

He growled when she didn't move. "I said wash me," he hissed, reaching out to grab a handful of her hair.

Rodolphus was on his knees in a split second. One hand gripped bruisingly on her upper arm the other yanked her hair painfully, forcing her to look fearfully into his eyes. He snarled when she whimpered and grinned wolfishly when she moaned.

Pulling her back against him so she was straddling his thighs, he laved her long throat with his tongue before slowly sinking his teeth into her shoulder.

She cried out and shuddered against him, her lower body shifting in quick agitated circles. It would be so easy, his cock was right there poised at her tight opening. Her gasping breaths and trembling body were his sign that she was more then ready to take him deep.

But he didn't. It was too easy and Rodolphus hated the wave of warmth that swept through him when he looked into her flushed face, her hooded brown eyes. He needed to put her back in her place, remind her that she was not his wife and she was not his lover. Hermione was his slave, his whore. There was no other truth but that.

"Do you like it when I hurt you, Mudblood?" He said cruelly. "I could do far worse, believe me."

"My Lord?" She opened her frightened eyes to look at him. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to displease you."

His lip curled as one hand swept around her back to cup her arse and his cock twitched in response to her cries when he squeezed the flesh painfully. "First and foremost, you are mine to do with as I please. You are to follow my orders without question." He tipped his head to the side and glared into her face. "You dared to question me tonight."

Hermione gasped and tried to pull away as Rodolphus allowed his words to hang silently between them. She knew what would happen if she was disobedient and Rodolphus' balls tightened in his excitement.

He would have no time to go to his wife tonight. He made a mental note to send word to Severus, Hermione was going to be sore in the morning.

**~*~**

Her scream of mingled pain and pleasure filled the room as, with a grunt, Rodolphus swung his leather belt to strike against her creamy buttocks.

Hermione knew it was wrong. Wrong to submit to such cruelty, wrong to want this sadistic man so desperately, wrong to enjoy each strike, her body pulsing with desire with each stinging assault.

Her arms were pulled high above her head, wrists secured together, legs dangling inches above the floor. Hermione's bottom stung and tingled and the mingled heat and coolness made her shiver.

All at once he was against her, his hard body still taller, even with her suspended. Rodolphus' hands smoothed over her tender bottom, seeming to trace each red line that his belt had made.

"I think you've learned your lesson," he purred, his breath tickling her ear as his fingers caressed slowly up over her hips. "Why don't you tell me what you've learned tonight."

Hermione nipped at her lip in her effort not to moan at the sweet shivers his voice sent down her spine and the pure pleasure of his rough fingers touching her so gently.

"I… I will do as you command," she breathed, shutting her eyes and mewing softly as his fingers ghosted over the sensitive curls at the junction of her thighs. "Without question. You are my master and I am your slave."

"Such a clever witch."

His lips followed his fingers, exploring her delicate shoulders and slowly descending down her throat to take one hardened nipple between his hot lips. His mouth was surprisingly gentle, almost tender in the way he mixed slow, sensual swirls of his tongue with teasingly soft suction.

The pleasure was exquisite, his fingertips gliding so smoothly over her hips and waist. Still tied and hanging from her punishment, it was all Hermione could do to feel each delicious wave of heat and pleasure as they rippled through her body. Her eyes flickered closed and her head fell back, each mewing cry seeming to echo around the room.

All at once her hands were free and she wasted no time tangling her fingers into his silky auburn hair and wound her legs around his hips. Mindlessly they made their way to the large bed so he was sitting on the edge and he guided her down onto his long thick erection so smoothly. Their joint cries were equally long and they moved together, simply enjoying the friction, the feeling of him so thick inside her, her so tight, so wet around him.

There was no move for dominance, the thought never entered Rodolphus' mind. Touching, being touched, feeling, tasting. Mouths joined in tender passionate kisses and when they weren't kissing his mouth made hot trails down her throat, teasing her erect nipples, nipping that sensitive spot at the junction of her shoulder and throat. And her mouth never left him, kissing his ear, his cheek, his unshaven chin, anywhere she could reach.

He guided her and she used her thighs to lift and slowly lower herself, up and down, out, and out and out, then in and in and - in…

The carnal pleasure rose so slowly, and it mounted and mounted, bringing them both to the edge, but their deliberately slow pace, so long and smooth and deep held them just inches from the flood of release. And the pressure grew, and the heat grew, and their lust, passion, desire just grew stronger.

And they were there. Like long drips of warm honey, sweet delight seemed to fill Hermione's toes. It tingled up her legs and flooded, suddenly hot up her thighs. Her eyes flicked open just as her body reached it's first orgasmic tremor and saw in Rodolphus' soulful eyes that he was there too.

Their bodies screamed to move faster, to shudder and thrust through their lust. But the pace remained, long and smooth, both trembling, their foreheads touching, mouths a hair's breath apart and falling wide as the sweetest rapture seemed to just go on and on…

But the war still raged.

~*~

He was going through the motions. The boy who lived, saviour of the wizarding world, and the one who would battle Voldermort, deciding the fate of everyone he held dear…

Harry Potter had no idea what the fuck all that meant and right now, he didn't care. What was the point of being so bloody important if everyone he loved was dying around him?

His parents, Sirius, and now Hermione. Harry clenched his fists and shut his eyes tight to hold back a fresh flood of tears.

Everything was wrong without her.

Every morning he came downstairs expecting to see her talking about literature or human rights with Remus or arguing with Ron.

And every morning he would remember.

He would eat breakfast while Molly spoke at him and tried to make him eat away his grief. Then Remus would usually sit with him for a time and talk at him about things he'd read in the Prophet, Ron would show him pictures of quiditch matches and games, upcoming players…

When Dumbledore arrived he would ask about Harry's research and lecture him on the importance of training his mind and duelling skills… _Blah, blah, blah… _He and Kingsley would train, Moody would lecture him on staying alert. "Constant Vigilance!"

_No one had been more vigilant then Hermione, and she was dead_.

Not soon enough, his day was over and he could go back to bed, take the dreamless potion Snivillus had made him and forget that he was even alive.

~*~

Remus watched wordlessly as Harry swallowed his dreamless potion in three long swallows. No small feat since it was a large goblet and if he knew Severus, it tasted vile. But then Remus had the feeling that Harry was barely aware of the amount or the taste, the lad had been distant from everything since the news of Hermione…

Hermione. Such a intelligent young woman. So sensitive and caring, it still touched him how she had known of his dark, murderous other half, and yet had seen past that to the man he was - he smiled wryly - often seeing more intelligence and goodness in him then he thought was there, not that he minded.

After watching Harry ascend the steps up to his room, Remus stepped outside to look up at the waxing moon. He sighed deeply, a long, sad, tired sound.

"My sentiments exactly, Mr Lupin." The dour drawl from the shadow could only have come from one wizard.

"Severus," Remus chuckled and turned to lean against the railing. "Is there a method to your skulking or is this just general prowl?"

"Just staying in the loop." Severus' face lit slightly as he inhaled on his cigarette. "And it's no secret that I have been less then welcome by that warm fire since…"

His words faulted and Remus watched as the taller man's shoulders slumped slightly. His eyes adjusted to the shadows faster then others and he took the advantage to look more closely at Severus Snape. The man looked tired, his face drawn, more then usual, his posture defeated. This war was hard on them all and took it's tolls from each of them, but only another spy could understand exactly what toll he paid.

"For what it's worth, I do not hold you responsible. Hermione sacrificed her life for the greater good…" But Severus' sudden bark of laughter cut him short.

"The Greater Good," Severus sneered and shoved away from the wall, his steps slow and deliberate as he moved closer. "Do you even know what that means? Or of who's Greater Good he speaks?"

Remus swallowed, pressing harder against the railing as the Potions Master closed in. He could smell firewhiskey on his breath and knew by the slight slur to his speech that the man had drunk quite a bit. The mixture of booze and tobacco was not wholly unpleasant but the feel of this man so close made him uncomfortable.

"Foolish wolf," Severus murmured, his hands settling heavily on the railing either side of Remus' arms. He leaned closer. Their robes touched and brushed. His mouth stopped beside Remus' ear. "But there is one besides our leader who seems less then saddened by the loss of our pretty little bookworm. She is, as it seems, as ruthless as her cousin."

With an outraged grunt, Remus shoved Severus back. "I don't like what you are implying."

He spread his arms wide and grinned. "Well there's a shock."

"You're drunk Severus," Remus muttered, relieved to have the man at arms length again. "And I can't blame you, but I can't talk to you either."

With that Remus strolled past the dour wizard and back inside. The warmth of the crackling fire immediately made him feel safe and calm but when he turned Severus was gone.

It was much later as he lay awake next to a sated and softly snoring Nymphadora, that Severus' words played in his mind again.

_Less then saddened by our loss… As Ruthless as her cousin?_

True he had known of her feelings for him, and true he would never have lowered his morals low enough to take the girl to his bed, if not for the great loss of Hermione… But to think that Dora was pleased by the loss? It was unfair and untrue.

He had not lied to her and never professed to love her, the way she vowed to love him. In fact he had been brutally honest that first night, making it clear that he merely wanted to a place to find quick relief and a sated night sleep…

Remus pulled gently away, the wave of guilt that swept through his body almost made him sick. She had told him she loved him and he had told her that he wanted a place to stick his cock. She held him and comforted him, heeled his wounds and listened to his doubts and fears, and he sated his lust between her thighs. It wasn't even her in his head when he came, he would fill his mind with random pictures of porn magazine models to take his body over the edge.

What the fuck was wrong with him?! This wasn't him, Sirius maybe, but not him, not Remus J Lupin. He was using her and with more callousness then even a Malfoy could call upon. Slowly his guilt seemed to lessen to another of protectiveness towards this girl. He would never love her, but he vowed to never let anyone harm her, that included him. She deserved so much better and as Remus gently pulled the pink haired girl into his arms, pulling the blanket up around her, he made another vow to both protect Nymphadora and see that she get all that she deserved and more.


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

A rock, a Wand, and a Cloak.

They were the three gifts said to be given to three travellers by death himself… It was a wizarding fairy story passed down over the centuries and for some reason Voldermort wanted Hermione to research the truth behind the myth.

She groaned and rubbed her sore eyes. At this point Hermione would have loved to have thrown all three of the Deathly Hallows into a large fire then stomped on the ashes. She loved ancient runes, loved history, loved research, but this topic was wearing thin. After more then a month of research and reading the fairy story in more then twenty different languages, including elfish and goblin she had found nothing. It was a fairytale - A Bloody buggery fairytale! And that was all.

Hermione was tired, her eyes hurt… Tears pricked and one ran slowly down her cheek. With a frustrated sob she wiped it way with the back of her hand and shut the book with a final 'thunk'.

"Tears, Miss Granger?" The dour voice came from behind her. "Surely they haven't broken you yet."

Hermione smiled, despite her irritation and turned to face her old Potion's Master. "I am far from broken, Professor." She picked up a page of notes then dropped it in disgust. "Merely frustrated at my lack of progress."

He moved up beside her and flicked through the pages of her latest tome. "Hmm, yes I remember you never did take well to unfinished assignments." His lips curled into something close to a smile and though he was watching her closely, his expression seemed somewhat softer. "And that is all that bothers you?"

She worried her bottom lip as she collected her books and papers. "Careful, Severus, I might start thinking that you're worried about me."

His silence seemed thick with something that Hermione didn't understand, but somehow she felt warmed by his lack of response to her teasing.

"Rodolphus asked me to give you these."

He handed her a small basket holding three small vials. One for the red welts on her bottom - which, with a deep blush, she dropped back into the basket - One for the aches in her muscles - Also eliciting a blush - And one containing pink lemon sherbet.

The sherbet she held longer. It had been just over three days since, in a moment of weakness, she had revealed to Rodolphus her secret love of pink sherbet. He had laughed so loud she thought that the walls would shake.

Severus watched the girl closely as she touched each of the potions, taking in her blushes and sidelong glances. But it was the way she held that last vial that disturbed him. Her eyes widened slightly, lips parted to take in a sudden breath. It was the smile that made him pause. It seemed to light up her face, bringing an all too pretty pinkness to her cheeks and her eyes flash and soften.

"Hermione," he said, his tone stern.

When she looked at him, her gaze seemed slightly dazed but she seemed to read his expression before he could say anything. "I'm alright Professor." She sat down and pushed the basket a little up the table.

"I know you are," Severus said, though he continued to watch her.

In that moment he hated himself, more then he ever had. Hated the dark army and sycophantic lord, but most of all he hated that hypocritical leader of the Order. This girl really was as good and kind as she seemed, with a capacity for love and forgiveness that he had never seen. This was not her world.

He pulled a small, ancient looking book from his robes. It seemed to fit in the palm of his hand and the title was in runes. "I managed to find this in Albus' private library," he said and dropped the book in front of Hermione.

Her lips curled into a dry smile as she looked up at him. "Found?"

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, I stole it." He cocked her an uncharacteristically mischievous smirk. "But if you don't want it…"

She snatched the book just as he was reaching to pick it back up. "Can it tell me anything new?"

"Well that I can't say, Miss Granger," he said softly, sitting down on the chair next to her and liking the excited flash of curiosity in her eyes. "But I do know that the Dark Lord is not the only one who coverts the Hallows."

"Why don't I find that surprising," she murmured, but once again Severus noticed that her attention was on Rodolphus' gift.

Part of him wanted to grab her and shake the sense back into her overly sentimental head. He needed her logical, he needed her back on the mission… But he also needed her to trust him, wanted her to trust him, and he knew that she needed him to trust.

With a decided sigh, he stood up. "Will you walk me to the gates?"

Hermione looked up surprised and that dazed look was back. "Yes, of course I will."

It seemed an odd request but Hermione saw no reason to say no, so they walked in silence through the gardens to the large metal gates.

It was a muffled grunt that drew their attention, but though Hermione continued to walk on, Severus stopped.

"What was that?" He hissed, his voice hushed.

She shrugged. "This is the Malfoy Manor." There always seemed to be something sordid going on in the Malfoy gardens. One of the reasons Hermione stuck to the library and her private rooms.

As she tired to walk on, Severus snaked is fingers around her wrist and held her still. She quickly tried to pull her hand free, a biting rebuff ready on her tongue but a cautioning glare and two fingers placed over his lips made her pause. She let him lead her towards the sounds.

Once again she tried to pull away as the sounds grew louder. Moans and growling pants made her blush, but it was the sight that met her eyes that made her heart stop with a painful jolt.

The couple moved and thrust urgently against one another, only the essential clothing shoved out of the way to allow Rodolphus access to his wife's willing passage as she straddled him on the small garden chair. He grunted loudly, matching Belatrix's keening cries as he took her with the rough abandon, Hermione knew he loved. And he was in bliss, his face a mask of rapture, his hair limp and wet with sweat. His hands rested on his wife's slim hips and Hermione could see where he had ripped her bodice wide to reveal pert, perfectly formed breasts.

Belatrix was beautiful. Perfect in her passion, her long black hair flowing down her back and over one shoulder. Why would he even look at Hermione with such a wife willing in his bed? She bit her lip hating the jealousy that needled around her heart, hating that her body seemed to be responding to his pleasured moans, wishing that she were the one to make him do so.

His wife reached behind her and down to grip his large, tight balls and Hermione felt her mouth go dry at Rodolphus' breathless roar.

"Fuck, Bella!"

It was enough. Hermione's body felt weak and she felt as though something were gripping her heart and squeezing so she could barely breath. All she knew was that she had to get away and with a muffled sob she wrenched her arm from Severus' grip and ran back towards the mansion and her private rooms.

By the time Severus caught up to her and spun her around to face him, her face was already stained with shedding tears. Her hand was weak but her slap was sharp across his pale cheek, all her anger and jealousy, her guilt and deep seated anguish seemed to flow though her fingers as she slapped him again and again till he gripped both her wrists to hold her still.

"Why did you show me that!?" She hissed, struggling furiously against his restraining hands.

"Because you needed to see," he returned, yanking her closer, his voice rough and angry but hushed. "Rodolphus is your captor and you are his whore."

The pain in her chest spiked. "Stop it!" She hissed but ceased to struggle all her energy seeming to drain out of her trembling body.

"He is a Death Eater, the Dark Lord's most loyal follower and you are little more then a muddy blooded slut in his eyes." Severus shifted his hands to grip her shoulders, giving her a sharp shake. "He doesn't care for you. Rodolphus will _never_ love you."

Her head dropped, the truth of his words sinking into her mind. She knew that she would never be anything more then a whore to Rodolphus, she knew what he thought of her and Muggleborns like her.

"I know," she rasped and let him pull her into his arms.

"I'm so sorry, darling." Severus wrapped his arms around her shoulders and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. "But I swear that we will make them pay, do you understand me?"

Hermione nodded but her tears still flowed, soaking through his black robe.

~*~

Rodolphus stalked down the long elegant hallway of Malfoy Manor cursing softly under his breath. The apparition point always seemed such a long distance away when one had somewhere to be - or someone to be inside. With a smirk he thought of his Mistress, most likely waiting patiently in her bed for him to pleasure her, those soft thighs spread, her cunt soaking and ready for his cock.

With a groan he quickly adjusted himself beneath his robes and quickened his gait, he would still have to bathe before pleasuring her. Not because he was dirty, far from it. But because his skin reeked of the Dark Lord and although he wanted to taint his witch, it would only be his magic seeping through her skin, his darkness silencing her mouth as he fucked her into oblivion.

The Dark Lord had no place in their bedroom, it was bad enough he had to share his wife with their 'Master' but his mistress would remain that his and his alone.

He felt the tingle of magic ripple across his skin as he breached the outer wards and was about to Disapparate when a pale, long fingered hand reached out from the darkness and stilled him.

"You are lucky I am not a twitchy fellow, Severus, or you might have lost that hand."

The dour potion's master moved out of the shadows and smirked. "I have no doubt our Lord would gladly procure me another hand."

Both men shuddered at the thought, their minds drifting to wormtail and his silver hand.

"Yes but would you want the label of coward to go along with that hand?"

Severus chuckled darkly. "Doubtful."

"Indeed doubtful," Rodolphus replied and gave his friend a scrutinising stare. "I find it hard to believe you stopped me to discuss the failings of our Lord's most faithful."

Severus's brow rose and his smirk grew wider. "I had the pleasure of being in your Mistress's company today Rodolphus. What a delightful creature she is, it is just a shame that I did not see it when she was in my classroom."

Rodolphus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and an uneasy feeling invade his stomach. "You took pleasure from my Mistress?" he snarled hoping to frighten his old friend but Severus was far from cowed and merely chuckled further.

"We spoke for a time and I asked her to escort me off the ground which she happily obliged."

Rodolphus clenched his jaw and held his wand tightly. "And...?"

"We were conversing quite happily and just near the marble statues she took a small turn...must have been the pleasant view."

"Is she well?" Rodolphus hissed and gripped Severus's wrist tightly.

"Her physical well being is far above average."

"Severus..."

"What would you like to me to say Rodolphus? That I wished I'd asked for the girl myself? Well you would be correct, but it appears even the married amongst us believe themselves to be entitled to all and sundry." Yanking his hand free he gave his friend one final disdainful sneer before disapparating with a small pop.

~*~

Rodolphus' hands knotted in his mistress's hair, groaning, a long deep sound as she rode him high and hard. Hermione did everything right but something felt wrong. She ran her nails down his arms the way he liked and her perfect slick cunt slid up and down his rock hard cock, tightening and circling, bringing him ever closer to the blinding pleasure he always found in her arms…

He came hard. A symphony of breathless cries echoed around the bedchamber as he shuddered and gripped her hips with his bruising fingers, holding her tightly against him, his flexing cock shooting his seed deep.

With a deep satisfied sigh, he lay back, winding his arms around Hermione. It had been weeks since he stopped running from sharing his afterglow with her. Belatrix had always left afterwards, showering to wash off the sweat and scent of sex, and at first it had felt somehow wrong to stay and share with his mistress something that he had never enjoyed with his wife. But now he looked forward to this part, maybe as much as the sex itself. Holding her warm, trembling body in his arms, feeling her pounding heartbeat slow and calm with his. He even admitted to liking her gentle kisses, her fingers combing through his hair, even the way her feet ran slowly up and down his muscular legs.

Needless to say, Rodolphus was less then pleased when she immediately rolled off him and turned away. He watched, confused, as the witch lay on her side and clutched her pillow to her chest. He was no legilimens but he knew when there was something wrong with a witch, especially this one. He always knew when she was angry or frustrated, and on more then one occasion had to stop himself from returning her welcoming smile when he came to see her in the library.

Had he moved to fast with the gift? He knew that she hadn't meant to share her secret craving with him. Such a small insignificant secret and yet she had seen it as too intimate to share with him and he had the feeling that she was angry with herself for letting him in.

Rodolphus shook his head and ran his fingers down the curve of her waist, frowning when she stiffened and clutched the pillow closer to her chest. So she was cross with him… Interesting.

"Why do you turn from me?" he asked in a deceptively gentle voice. "What has upset you, my Mistress?"

She inhaled and he watched her eyes shift suddenly before she turned to face him, pasting on a fake smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nothing is wrong, my Lord." But her tone was a falsely sweet as her smile as she curled her fingers around his shoulder. "I simply thought you were done with me for the night."

The feel of her mouth on his throat, her warm breath was almost overwhelming, but not enough. Where there was usually a sweetness to the way her soft lips grazed his flesh, this act was cold, proficient. She was simply appeasing him and it irked the powerful pureblood that this fact bothered him.

"Stop it!" With an angry growl, Rodolphus pushed her away and something in his chest twisted at the flash of hurt that lit in her suddenly huge brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, my lord," she said, her voice cracking, eyes shimmering in the candle light. "I never meant to displease you."

Now tears? For the first time Rodolphus wished that she were more like his wife. When something was wrong with Belatrix she would just tell him, usually with screeching and scathing insults but at least he would know what the bloody hell was wrong! But at the same time he knew that his anger would not help in this situation.

Taking a calming breath to settle his temper, he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. With a tenderness that even surprised him, he kissed each fingertip, gently nibbling on the sensitive pads and soothing with the tip of his tongue. His eyes never leaving hers till he saw her expression soften and felt her body relax.

"Severus came to see you today," he murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "Did he hurt you?"

"What?" Hermione burst out. "No, why would you think that?"

"So someone has hurt you, but not Severus."

The downcast flick of her gaze was not lost on him, nor the returning of her pleasant mask. "I am not hurt, my lord." She turned again and lay her head back on the pillow and wrapping her arms around it's middle. "I… I guess I'm just tired."

Why could he not just let it go at that? Rodolphus knew that she had been researching for the Dark Lord, and working late into the night when he didn't require her pleasurable company. There was truth in her denial, but still she was a terrible liar.

With a sigh he lay beside her, pressing his larger body against her back and gently cupping her rounded hip. "Perhaps it is something else that bothers you," he murmured his fingers drawing small circles over her soft flesh and slowly moving down to her abdomen. "Are you perhaps concerned that the release I take inside you may bare - consequences?"

A sudden gasping laugh escaped the muggleborn as she shook her head. "No, Rodolphus, I assumed that you would take great care to avoid such consequences. I am yet to meet a pureblood who was willing to sully his bloodline with a muggleborn. No matter how many pretty speeches he may make."

The bitterness in her voice made him pause. Part of him wished to scold her for having the nerve to try to rise above her lowly station and he wasn't completely sure why he didn't, instead choosing to simply wind his arm around her waist.

"Well, I wanted to say that you don't need to be concerned about that," he said, again confused by his need to share with her. "My wife and I tried for many years before it became apparent that I was - sterile." The last word came out forced and he felt his voice crack with his personal pain at saying it out loud.

Hermione turned her head slightly but didn't reply. Resting her head back on the pillow, she covered his hand with her own. "Do you have to leave?" She said softly and, to Rodolphus' surprise, snuggling back against his warmth.

"No," he replied, his voice gruff as he lowered his own head to the other pillow.

Her hair tickled his nose as his mind turned over what he had learned in those last few moments. Her body had stiffened slightly again at the mention of his wife. That was even more interesting then the fact that she was cross with him. And what the hell had Severus been on about? Walking through the garden, stopping by the marble statue, nice view…?

He looked back down at his mistress, her lashes resting on slightly flushed cheeks, her lips pink and plump from the way he had ravished it with his own. True she was willing in his bed, but the woman was still very much a captive. The resentment of her position here was obvious in everything she did, the distain she showed the others of the Dark Army clear. So why would seeing him with his wife, _who he had every damn right to fuck wherever and whenever he pleased_, upset her?


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

The room was dark and musky. Hermione felt a strange mixture of guilt and trepidation as she stepped into the secret chamber and shut the bookshelf-door behind her and with it went the last of the light. She swallowed hard and choked when a layer of dust seemed to settle on her throat.

"Oh, do stop that insufferable gagging." The cold, smoothly stern voice could have only belonged to one woman.

"I'm s…sorry," Hermione coughed and jumped when the long graceful fingers of Narcissa Malfoy curled around her wrist and drew her further into the passage.

The Pureblood lit a candle, making Hermione blink, for a moment the room seeming more dark in the sudden glare. Very slowly her eyes adjusted to the light and the room revealed itself to be some form of storeroom. Shelves lined the walls, and were full of large and small jars with strange things floating in brown viscous liquid.

"What is this place?" Hermione crinkled her nose as something in a larger jar appeared to move.

"This is one of over a hundred secret chambers of the Malfoy Manor." Narcissa waved her hand lazily, speaking as though she were giving the grand tour, although her voice was hushed. "It is one of the few, unknown to the Dark Lord, or in fact, to my Husband."

"Oh," Hermione replied not quite sure how to respond. "Why am I here?"

Narcissa looked at her closely for a moment, seeming to take in every nuisance of her wild curls and shorter frame. Then all at once she seemed to deflate. Her shoulders slumped, her face dropped, eyes shutting tight before opening again wet and shimmering.

"Draco is my only son." She started, her lips quivering. "I have followed the words and the teachings of the Dark Lord since I was fifteen, without question, without doubt…"

"But you doubt now?" Hermione prodded.

"No!" The pureblood pulled back, looking down at Hermione with shock in her gaze. "Never, I will never question the words of our Lord."

Hermione moved to speak but a wave of Narcissa's hand stopped her.

"But we are at war now, the Order and the Dark Army will clash and soon and we must do many terrible things to make sure that we succeed in our dream."

"Yes," Hermione said dryly. "Remembering of course that your dream is wipe the world clean of Muggles and Muggleborns like me."

The haughty look reappeared in Narcissa's eyes. "We do not wish you dead young lady, simply knowing your place."

"Beneath the purebloods."

Narcissa gave her knowing grin, her eyes narrowing. "From what I hear, Miss Granger, You have been vigorously enjoying that position."

The younger woman's cheeks flushed and a fresh wave of humiliation spread through her body. It was true that she did enjoy Rodolphus' touch, revelled in his passion, but she hadn't known that her wanton response to him was being spread, like some sordid joke, to the rest of the Dark Army.

"Well it's been a pleasure speaking with you, as always Mrs Malfoy," Hermione said with as much dignity as she could muster and turned to go.

Narcissa's hand whipped out and gripped her arm with that same, almost painful, strength. "No! Don't go - please…"

"Why?" Hermione pulled her arm away, looking the shocked pureblood directly in the eye. "You call me a whore, even though you know that I have no choice whether I lay with my Master or not, you say I am beneath you and yet you need my help."

"You don't understand…!"

"Yes I do. If this is so important to you then surely your Lord will help you, he is your saviour after all."

"Miss Granger," Narcissa hissed, her voice becoming desperate. "Hermione, please, I apologise for the cruel words but I truly need your help."

"You know," Hermione said finding the hinge on the door and feeling somehow stronger then she had before. "Back when I was free, when I was in trouble or needed help, I would simply go to my friends or family for help. Why don't you do that?" Her tone was sickly sweet as was her smile but the tears making long wretched trails down the other woman's perfect, aristocratic face made her pause.

Hermione breathed a deep sigh, wishing that she could be more uncaring, more cold to such desperation. "Draco want's to be like his father, he wont forgive you if you take away this chance for him to prove himself a man."

"I know," she whimpered, her shoulders shaking. "But he is my only son, and he is strong. One day he will be a great man. But, I… I can't let him become a murderer, that would tear apart his soul and I'll lose him. My son…"

~*~

They made an impressive trio as the three tall, well dressed wizards walked with quick deliberate steps through the deserted streets of Diagon Alley. Heads held high they walked in silence towards the London Apparation point. But their dress and Stride was where their similarities ended, they were indeed three very different men.

Long hair fell down their broad backs, auburn, ebony, and Alibastor, one tanned and muscular and two starkly pale and slim. They were the three most faithful and trusted by the Dark Lord, exuding confidence, charisma, and power envied by many from both sides of the war.

As they approached, a loud 'POP' sounded in the centre of the wide black circle. A tall, broad wizard appeared, hair cut shorter and shaggy, falling red like flames around his handsome face. His eyes were black like coal and his expression was guarded, wand ready at his side till his gaze landed on his gruff looking brother.

A wide grin spread over Rabastan's clean-shaven face and he opened his arms wide, the long duster coat spreading to reveal a pair of black jeans and white collarless shirt.

"Brother!"

The two embraced warmly, Rodolphus slapping his beloved brother on the back. "How have you been?"

"Well, I am well and I'm eager to tell the Lord of what I found in Romania," Rabastan said as they turned to walk back the way they came. "But enough about me, what is this I hear about you being gifted with a new toy?"

Lucius rolled his eyes and joined the younger wizard on his left. "Don't even try, Rabastan," he drawled. "He is being excruciatingly selfish and refuses to share the witch with any of us."

Severus, at Rodolphus' side chuckled. "Indeed, even I am only allowed near with special permission. He keeps her under charm and ward at all times."

Rabastan laughed and gave his brother's shoulder a squeeze. "My brother always was a possessive one. Let me guess when she was given to you she was untouched?"

Rodolphus' lips twitched and he winked at his brother roguishly. "As pure as the falling snow, brother." He threw Lucius a meaningful look. "And I like her in one piece and unmarred."

Back at the Mansion the four wizards made their way to the main room and were greeted by a small house elf, eyes seeming bigger then her head allowed.

"Bisby, please inform the Dark Lord that Rabastan has returned and has news," Rodolphus said sternly.

"Begging your pardon, sir." The elf squeaked. "But my master is sleeping now, he has asked that you dine without him and that he will be able to speak with Master Rabastan later tonight."

Rodolphus nodded as his three companions entered the dining room, speaking loudly as they went. "Fair enough, Bisby, in that case please send for Miss Granger. I wish for her to meet with my brother."

"Yes, sir." The elf nodded, head bobbing as though it might fall off and disapparated.

Soon after he joined the other men at the table, the house elf apparated with a 'POP', shaking and looking scared, her eyes shifting left and right and trembling.

"Where is my mistress, Bisby?" Rodolphus asked with forced patience.

The elf pulled at her towelling dress, her eyes shifting agitatedly. "Well, Master Rodolphus, she - umm - she said…"

"Do get on with it!" Lucius barked making the elf squeak even louder and jump at least a foot.

"Yes, sir," she whimpered, nibbling at her tiny lips and linking and unlinking her fingers. "Bisby did what Master Rodolphus told her to do, but the young Miss gave Bisby only a message to give the Master."

Rodolphus sighed. "And what was the Message?"

"Well… Well the young Miss said that she is busy and if Master Rodolphus wants her, he knows where to find her." Bisby backed away as she spoke, eyes flicked from Rodolphus to Lucius and back.

Lucius clapped his hand on the table, great belts of laughter seeming to explode from him as his shoulders shook. "Oh yes, Rudy you do have her well trained."

Rodolphus growled, baring his teeth as he glared at Lucius. He turned on Bisby, grabbing her by the neck-hole of her dress. "You will return to the _Young Miss_, and tell her that if she is not here within the next ten seconds it will be more then my hand exploring her tender arse tonight."

Hermione had Bisby apparate her to the Dining Room well within the limit. She was still holding the large tome she had been deciphering when the elf appeared and her hair was loosely tied with messy curls framing her face, a quill behind her ear.

On seeing the other men in the room, Hermione gritted her teeth and wound in her frustration. "I apologise, my lord," she said, bowing her head submissively. "I have been researching and translating for hours and did not believe that I would be good company."

But before Rodolphus could respond, Rabastan jumped to his feet. "Potter's Mudblood!" He coughed.

"Well spotted," Severus drawled. "She was captured a month ago."

"I was not captured," Hermione responded indignantly, her curious gaze sweeping over the new member in the room. "I was betrayed by the Order and practically gift wrapped for you with bells and shiny lights."

Lucius lunged at her, gripping her by the throat and bringing his face close. "You will watch your tongue, Mudblood whore!"

His hand tightened to crush her windpipe but Hermione was already in action. Her hand shot forward into his robe and found the hilt of his knife, pulled it free and pushed the sharp tip under his chin. A sly smile curled her lips at the wide eyed fear in the pureblood's eyes.

"Get your hands off me or I will slit your throat then gut you like a fish, the way my Muggle daddy taught me." Hermione hissed and for a moment Lucius' hand tightened. She gasped for breath but kept her gaze on his and pressed the sharp tip higher and felt a thin trickle of his blood slide down the knife and over her hand.

His hand loosened on her throat and at length the tall, white haired pureblood stepped back. His hand released her and he held them out to the sides.

Behind them, Rodolphus laughed uproariously and clapped his hands as Hermione slowly lowered the knife and stepped back. No matter what she thought of him, Lucius was Rodolphus' friend and she didn't wish to anger him more then she already had.

Rodolphus laid his hands on her shoulders and Hermione's eyes fluttered closed as he pulled a loose lock of hair out of the way and pressed his lips against a sensitive spot at the junction of her shoulder and throat. The world seemed to melt away as his arms snaked around her waist and she could feel the heat of his larger body pressing against her back.

His name hissed from between her lips and he chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that seemed to make her whole body tingle.

"Ma petite Chatte," he murmured, teeth grazing her ear. "Did he harm you?"

"Did I harm her!?" Lucius complained, still holding his hand under his chin.

On hearing his voice, Rodolphus pulled back, leaving Hermione standing alone and unsteady on her feet. "Don't whine, Lucius." he growled. "You see my witch does not need training." He turned, his gaze proud and all too heated when his eyes met hers. "She's a natural."

She felt her cheeks flush under his gaze and couldn't stop the slow curl of her lips into a shy smile.

But all too soon the moment was gone. A loud screech from the doorway made Hermione's heart drop.

"Rabastan!" Belatrix swept into the room, arms spread wide to embrace her husband's brother.

Magic flowed from the tall, willowy witch. Her hair was piled high on her proudly upheld head, long column of throat and a large amount of cleavage drawing the eyes of all the men in the room. Hermione looked down at her own smaller frame, the simple white slave gown so plain and dowdy compared to the elegant black robe worn by Belatrix.

The pureblooded witch didn't even bother to acknowledge her as she kissed Rabastan's cheeks and threaded her hands through Rodolphus' bent arm, whispering something in his ear. His head turned and Hermione watched, feeling ill at the way Rodolphus replied, his lips brushing his wife's ear.

Rodolphus Lestrange was the enemy! She was a prisoner in this house and forced into sexual slavery to one of Voldermort's cruellest followers. His eyes shining as he laughed at something his brother said… Stop it!

Hermione backed away, needing to get away. She was torn between the all to dangerous feelings growing for Rodolphus and her need to remain loyal to Harry. It was one thing to submit to the enemy to stay alive, but quite another care for him, long for his touch as one would a true lover.

She barely knew him, it made no sense to her and she hated that her logical mind seemed to fall apart when he was near. But there was something about his staunch loyalty, the way he stuck by his word, there was honour in this man, there was even something touching about his adoration for his wife…

That sick feeling returned and slowly Hermione backed out of the room. She needed space, some fresh air would bring her back to herself. Once outside the Dining Room Hermione did feel a little better and after taking a few deep breaths she wiped away the stray tear from her cheek and started back towards the library.

"Where are you going?"

The voice made her pause and the dangerously calm tone shot a shiver of fear down her spine. At length she turned, flicking her tongue over her suddenly dry lips. Rodolphus leaned lazily against the door frame, door shut tight behind him. His eyes blazed with something she didn't quite understand, a mixture of anger and … confusion?

"I was going back to the library," she rasped with as much poise as she could muster. "I believe I may have discovered something of interest to your lord." She was backing away, slowly, body trembling as, with each step back, he took one step forward, every muscle in his large body seeming to move with him like some prowling panther. "I will gladly tell you all once I'm sure and you can present it to him." She smiled timidly but continued to back away as he drew ever closer till her back hit the wall behind her and he closed in.

"Why did you leave, Hermione?" His chest heaved with each long indrawn breath and she imagined his heart beating as fast and loud in his ears as hers.

"I - I told you why…"

He shook his head all the anger gone from his eyes, leaving only heat and darkness.

"Why did you run away, Hermione?"

His closeness was too much. She couldn't breath and her legs seemed to be steadily turning to jelly till she had to lean against the wall to stay up. "Please don't ask me."

His hands landed hard on the wall either side of her shoulders, making her jump, then he slowly leaned in. His breath was hot against her lips as he held himself a mere inch away and his eyes were downcast, watching her own lips part and tremble for his touch.

And he kissed her. His hands moved to grip her shoulders tightly as his mouth ravished hers, hard, hot and demanding. It was all she could do to hook her own hands around his broad shoulders and hold on as a new trail of blazing shudders overtook her body.

His hands caressed up her throat to cup her face and tip it to deepen the kiss. He groaned and pressed his body harder against hers, leaving no space between them. She cried out against his lips and pulled him closer still.

Something was happening. Something different. Hermione could feel her magic flowing through her body, heating and dancing with the joy of Rodolphus' touch then flowing outward and into him. And her own body seemed to be filling with something new. New magic that had to be his flowed through her body and filled her with sweet tingles of pleasure as it seemed to be mating with hers. Darkness, lust, power, and something else, a deep longing unexplainable and beyond understanding.

When he pulled back they were both breathing hard. That hard edge had returned to his eyes as he looked down at her and Hermione felt her own fear at what had just happened.

"Make sure you're ready for me when I come to you tonight, Muggleborn" he growled, baring his teeth dangerously, his eyes flashing, his face still flushed.

"Yes, my lord."


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

Rodolphus' fist hit the wall and his arm went numb to the shoulder. He pulled back and punched again and again. One fist then the other, he slammed them over and over into the hard wood. Blood from his bruised fists stained the stark white wallpaper but he struck again drawing the pain in and holding it close. The pain was his soul his constant, the path to his darkness.

He punched again and grunted, his cock hardening and pressing against his tight, leather pants and his mind reeling. This was where he belonged, this was his world. Pain. Darkness. Power. All were here in his fists and in his heart as he smeared more blood on the wall. Memories flowed freely through his swimming mind, a fast current of flashes.

_As a small boy he gritted his teeth so as not to cry out and wake his sleeping brother while his father beat him with that long stick or his fists… Watching the Gryffindor Head-Boy Longbottom fucking away Belatrix's virginity so she could get in to one of Slughorn's parties… Her coming back to their bedchamber after spending her first evening with the Dark Lord, reeking of his magic, eyes glazed and her body still shaking from yet another man's touch… Finding out that he would never be able to impregnate his wife or any woman… Seeing Longbottom again and crucio'ing him while Belatrix tortured his slut of a wife… Azkaban - Trapped, cold, alone and screaming into the darkness…_

He didn't know that he was roaring his rage with each bloody strike till he stopped, his throat raw. His head hit the wall and his chest ached with each shallow breath, his mouth hanging wide to draw in more air. But as his body cooled another voice danced around his mind.

_ "Why did you run away?"_

_ "Please don't ask me." Her voice was thick with emotion, and she shook her head as she backed away, but her eyes begged him to come closer, her lips trembled for his kisses._

The moment his lips touched Hermione's, he had felt as though he were sinking into her. Her heartbeat thumped rapidly in his ears and her gasping breaths became his till he touched her soul and felt it warm and bright against his own like radiating sunshine breaking into the darkness. He was safe and he was loved and he was home and there was nothing he had to do but touch and caress this infuriating, wonderful, beautiful woman.

The moment he'd pulled back and taken that first breath, reality had rushed back in with a vengeance. He was a Death Eater. A criminal, a torturer, a murderer. And the moment that he opened his eyes he saw it in her face. She had touched his soul just as he had embraced hers. She saw his darkness, felt his hate and his rage and when he'd looked into her eyes he saw fear.

"Rodolphus?" The door opened behind him and his wife entered.

"Shut the door!" he growled.

His glare made her draw back, but she did as she was told. "Rodolphus, what are you doing?" Her shock passing as she moved towards him and took his bloodied hand in hers. "What's wrong with you?! Your brother is waiting for you and the Dark Lord will be coming down soon to hear his news."

She took out her wand and moved to heal his knuckles but Rodolphus wrenched the wand out of her hands and threw it against the wall.

"What the fuck are you doing!?" She hit his shoulder, hard and screeched when he grabbed her arm and shoved her roughly against the closed door. "Rodolphus! Let me go. Who do you think you are?"

"I am your husband," he spat, one hand holding her against the door while his other reached down to tug her robe up her thighs.

~*~

Harry shot up in bed. Sweat covered his body and sheets and he took several long deep breaths as his mind slowly came back down to earth. His eyes flittered around the dark room and it took some time to take in that he had been dreaming.

"Just a dream," he gasped, hoping that saying it out-loud would calm him. "Just a dream. Not real."

He'd dreamt of her again.

Remus had told him that it was healthy, that he needed to start dreaming again in order for him to heal and come to terms with Hermione's death…

He had expected nightmares. The whole reason he'd started taking the Dreamless Sleep potion was because he kept visualising her death in so many horrible, terrifying ways. He'd heard her screaming and begging moments before Voldermort hissed the killing curse, he'd seen Lucius crucio'ing her and worse. But he hadn't expected the dreams he was having.

With a growl he threw his sheets aside and braved the chill, getting up and stomping to the shower.

"They're just so real," Harry said in hushed tones to Remus down at breakfast. Everyone had gone to prepare for the day and they were alone for at least a few moment. "I mean it's not like in my first nightmares, these just feel different. Like in fifth year when I was having those dreams about the Department of Mysteries."

Remus watched his young friend closely. "Remember though that some of those weren't real. Voldermort was drawing you in, trying to trap you. He drew from your fears and used them." Remus took a deep breath and pursed his lips. "If these are like those other dreams then maybe you should start training in blocking your mind again."

"No!" Harry spat. "That greasy bastard isn't getting anywhere near my mind again."

"You sound like Sirius," Remus remarked with forced patience.

"Yeah, well Sirius was right, wasn't he?"

"Maybe." Remus picked his words carefully. "But Sirius' hatred of Severus went back a long way. It was a fight that started in their first year at Hogwarts and just got worse with every passing year. He never was one to drop a grudge lightly."

"I guess," Harry muttered but he glared into the table and Remus knew that his point wasn't being heard.

He took another deep breath and tried again. "Harry, that last dream you had in fifth year was false, Voldermort dug into your mind, dug out your worst fear and made it real. He showed your Godfather being crucio'ed for information, to hurt you, to trap you and to scare you, and it worked." He saw that Harry was breaking and hated the way the boy shook with the memory. "It is no shock that he would dip in again and I think we both know how much joy he could take from showing you your best friend, teasing you with promises that she's alive or showing you how bad he could make it for her."

"Then why isn't he?" Harry said.

"I don't understand?" Remus shook his head, "You said you saw her in these dreams."

"Yeah, but she's not dead and Voldermort isn't hurting her…"

For the next few minutes Remus listened as Harry laid out his dream and with every passing moment he grew more concerned. Harry told him of a huge room, like a Dining Room or Ballroom, of Severus and Lucius speaking to two men that the boy didn't recognize but described as obvious brothers with striking red hair, one younger. A warning bell sounded in Remus' head. Harry's description was close to something very familiar, something that the boy would not know, but that he himself knew was very real, right down to the snake tattoo running down the older brother's arm.

It was a long time later that Remus knocked on Harry's bedroom door with a portable potion's kit.

"What is this?" Harry took the kit and held the door open for Remus to enter, watching curiously as he shut the door behind him and silenced the room. "Remus…?"

"Harry, you know that I hold you in the highest respect. You are my best friend's son and I could not be more proud to be allowed into your life."

Harry shook his head. "Remus, what's gotten into you?"

He pointed at the potions kit. "You are going to start brewing your own dreamless sleep potion and take it every night from now on."

"But you said…"

"Forget what I said," Remus hissed, giving the shocked looking Harry an apologetic smile. "There is no knowledge to be gained from these dreams. If they are as you believe an insight into Voldermort's world then he is in control and you are seeing what he want's you to see. He will try to trap you again or worse use your dreams to drive you insane, make you so obsessed with Hermione that your mission to win the war become's second or make you forget about it altogether."

"But what if…"

"No, Harry," he interrupted solemnly. "This is exactly what he wants. Just like last time he is trying to make you doubt the people around you, doubt what you know to be true. Now promise me that you will brew the potion and take it, every night."

He nodded. "I will, but Remus…"

"I know, Harry," he cut the younger man off gently. "And nothing would make me happier then to find out that Hermione is alive and in good health. I have a few contacts that I can reach to find out if it's possible that she's alive. But…"

"I know," Harry sighed and sat on his bed, fingering the potion kit.

~*~

Weazley's Wizarding Wizzys was bustling with laughing, chatting customers when the double doors flew open and Remus marched in, eyes flicking around the shop till he found the two owners. They stood together behind the counter grinning roguishly at a pretty young witch who was happily blushing and giggling at their flirtatious jokes.

On seeing Remus, the twins seemed to forget about the girl, standing straighter and waving him over.

"Lupin, what brings you here?" Fred said with a welcoming grin.

"This isn't usually your neck of the woods, mate," George added.

"Yes, I know." Remus looked around nervously. "Look gentlemen do you think that I could get a moment? Preferably with a pensive, some kind of adhesive and the strongest truth serum you have."

"Sounds like one hell of a night out you got planned." Fred raised a single eyebrow and popped a candy into his mouth.

"Indeed," Remus murmured and leaned closer. "I believe that news of a certain woman's death may have been greatly exaggerated."  
Remus jumped when both men suddenly bellowed together. "Shop's closed. Everyone out, NOW!"

Shop empty, the twins listened intently as Remus relayed the new information and, again with lightning speed, Fred and George ran out the back and grabbed all the items Remus had requested.

"Now listen to me," Remus said, pouring the memory of Harry's dream into the large pensive. "If what Harry was dreaming is true then it means an extreme betrayal by Severus."

"Well there's a shock," Fred sneered.

"Yeah we never would have seen that coming." George added with an ironic grin.

Remus chuckled and smiled indulgently. "Yes, well as much as I agree with you, Severus is still a member of the Order and innocent until proven guilty."

The two younger men nodded reluctantly. "So what are we looking for, exactly?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure." Remus took a thoughtful breath. "Harry's description of the Lestrange brothers was perfect, two men he has never seen. That is what led me to believe that Voldermort had sent him the dream. But remember last time, he managed to alter the dream and make it look as though he were torturing Sirius Black."

"But it was fake." Fred shook his head, the memory still clear and stinging.

"And I wouldn't put it past the sick bastard to get a kick out of showing Harry his best friend, alive and betraying him or being - hurt…" George couldn't finish.

"That's correct, so we need to watch and find something that proves that it really is Hermione in here." Remus pointed to the pensive. "Preferably something that maybe Harry didn't know about her or - I don't know."

Both Fred and George dropped a hand onto his shoulders and squeezed. With an exchanged nod they each dipped in one finger and spun into the pensive.

_ They were moving. Low to the ground and smoothly they seemed to be heading forward, left -right, left-right and always forward. Through high ceilinged hallways and around dark corners till they were at the opening of what looked like some kind of duct or pipe. And they stopped, looking in on what looked like a Dining Room._

_ Four men stood around the kitchen, speaking and laughing like old friends. Lucius and Snape stood on either side of a tall redheaded man while another, older redhead berated a shivering house-elf._

"Those men, with the red hair…" George whispered, forgetting that they were in a mere memory.

"The Lestrange brothers," Remus acknowledged.

"Has Harry ever…"

"No," Remus sighed. "Harry has never met them, never seen them out of their masks and Death Eater Robes. That was what made me think that these were more then dreams, he described them perfectly."

_ The tiny House Elf squeaked and disappeared then moments later appeared again with a rather frazzled looking young woman carrying a large book with a quill behind her ear. Her hair was piled messily onto the top of her head and held by a ribbon and she was wearing a traditional slave dress that dipped teasingly low to reveal the creamy swell of her breasts and was cut high to show the long, toned expanse of her legs and thighs. A thick leather cord was wrapped around her slim waist and seemed to heighten the alluring curve of her hips and bottom. _

"Merlin! It's her," Fred gasped.

"Holy shit." George tipped his head to the side and was followed by Fred. "What is she wearing?"

"It's a traditional slave dress," Remus said darkly and felt his heart drop. "A Mistress Robe."

The three watched with growing trepidation and ever rising anger as Rodolphus Lestrange caressed her arm and kissed her throat. They watched their old friend respond to his touch with a sensual ease that only came with intimate knowledge. Rodolphus whispered into her ear and she blushed and shivered. But Remus wasn't watching her any more, his eyes were drawn to only other occupant of the room that he had dared to call friend.

Severus was pouring himself another shot of firewhiskey and Remus watched the way that the Potion Master's eyes roved down the body of his old student, pausing on the perfect swell of her breasts as he took the shot quickly and poured another.

Never, since he found out that Peter was alive had he felt betrayal so potently roaring though his veins. That bloody deviant couldn't take his eyes of Hermione, tipping his head to get a better view of her arse, her legs…

"Bastard," Remus hissed, baring his teeth in a very wolf-like growl.


	9. Chapter 9

* * *

Her cries rang through the dim, candlelit room, the growling grunts of her lover close behind. Rodolphus' vicious fingers dug painfully into her thighs as he held them wide apart and her firmly in place for his brutal thrusts. Hermione's hands were secured behind her back, face pushed into the bed and her hips and arse pulled up high for his ravishing cock.

The position was cruel and humiliating and Hermione was completely at the mercy of her master. She could feel his lust, his dark need for power and his pure exhilaration having her so helpless beneath him. But with each punishing plunge of his long, thick cock, she could feel herself flying higher into his forbidden darkness and she was free. Where there was no choice, there could be no guilt, no responsibility. She was free to let Rodolphus do as he pleased, free to embrace and scream her own carnal rapture, free to be taken and ravished the way her master wished, the way she wished.

"Rodolphus!" She screamed into the mattress, her mouth falling wide and her fingers curling around the restraints holding her wrists.

"Yes, witch," he hissed between gritted teeth. "You wanna come for me, don't you?"

But all at once his hands left her thighs. She cried out on the brink of climax and yet terrified that he would stop. One hand grabbed her long hair and curled it around his fingers, pulling her head back sharply and the other hand clasped strongly around her secured wrists. And he pulled her up against him, changing the angle of his cock within her and sending a new wave of pleasure-pain through her trembling body.

All she could do was whimper and beg as he held her on the brink of bliss. She was so close the softest touch would yank her over the edge, and he held her there, whimpering and trembling, her soft pleading words the only sounds besides their harsh breathing.

"Answer me!" he rasped, nipping at her shoulder. "Do you wanna come for me, cherie? Feel your sweet cunt clenching around my - thick - hard - cock?" He rocked inside her as he spoke, his strong hands holding her in place, stimulating her just enough to keep her on the brink. "Feel that hot rush of pleasure filling you till you're mindless with it."

"Yes," she whimpered, letting her head fall back onto his shoulder. Her body was on fire for the cruel man at her back. "Rodolphus."

His heartbeat thumped against her back and she felt his balls tighten and his rock-hard cock pulse and expand within her.

"That's right, witch," he hissed into her ear and his thighs flexed as he set the long hard rhythm, his hands gripping and tugging with each powerful entrance, pulling her down onto him as he thrust up. "Filthy - little - whore. Moaning and begging like a bitch." His voice cracked and he dragged her down harder onto his pumping cock. "Nothing but a dirty little slut."

He was punishing her. Hermione knew it, and hated that part of her craved this side of him, his crude insults driving her own lust higher, making her body burn hotter. He had touched her soul just as she had touched his and where she had found lust and darkness, anger and hate, he had found her true feelings for him. He'd felt her love and he'd felt her pain, her jealousy and her desire and he was punishing her for them.

His gruff moans filled her ears just as he filled her body with his violently ramming hardness. His body was so hot against hers and she could feel him shuddering as he drew closer to his release. Like always Rodolphus intoxicated her mind and senses and she was lost to everything but him.

"Je t'aime!" It spilled from her lips before she could stop it, but if he knew already then what did it matter? "I ask for nothing, just let me be yours."

The world exploded, white hot behind his eyes and without thought he wound one strong arm around her shoulders and sent his free hand down between her thighs wanting her with him all the way. Two fingers parted her nether lips wide and his remaining two rubbed furiously, either side of her swollen clit, the way he knew she liked, still too pure and sensitized to enjoy anything but the tip of his tongue directly touching her hard little bud.

Her words rang in his head and vibrated through his powerfully built body as he thrust hard and fast. Opening his eyes, he watched her beautiful flushed face as her orgasm rocked through her sweet body, his name a soundless cry on her trembling lips, and he wasn't far behind. With a strangled roar he held his witch close and rode out his own blazing completion within her clenching cunt.

He kept her tightly against his body, even as he unbound her wrists and lay on the bed he held her close. Rodolphus could feel her shaking from their exertion, just as his body shook, her heart fluttered where his hand covered her full breast, just as his heart pounded against her back. He knew that he must be crushing her with the strength of his grip as his lips grazed hotly over her shoulder and up her throat, kissing and tasting any part of her that he could reach without letting her go.

She was a puzzle. One of those ones that he had been given as a child and usually ended up exploding with his wand because the pieces kept shifting and changing on their own. He had never liked not being in control or not understanding what made things work and he hated when all the pieces didn't fit. Hermione made him crazy and part of him wanted to simply dispose of her the way he had other toys that he couldn't work out.

He remembered her strength and bravery and possibly stubborn stupidity with Lucius, and that wasn't the first time that he had seen this slight woman stand her ground against odds not in her favour, wand out and ready, eyes blazing with her determination to defend the scarred boy at her side… Her loyalty to that Potter boy were as strong as his own to the Dark Lord and she had not wavered as he had seen others waver under the power of their army.

As the victor Rodolphus had enslaved her, taken her virginity and made her his in more ways then the bounds of slavery could hold her, and yet since that first night he felt like the slave. Night after night he returned, drawn against his will to the feel of her body against his, the pleasure of his release inside her, the sound of her soft cries as he pleasured her with his mouth and hands.

He didn't understand how their souls had touched that time, and to be honest he wasn't sure that it was wise to tell any of his friends, and he wouldn't dare to reveal it to the Dark Lord… But he knew that it meant something important and for the first time he was afraid. He had embraced her warmth, her purity, her goodness, let her sunshine fill him and swam in the sea of her love. The cold pureblood hadn't felt such emotions since he was a child, in the arms of his loving mother, but she had died soon after giving birth to Rabastan, leaving him and his brother in the cruel hands of a suddenly sadistic father.

Hermione's even breaths and relaxed body let Rodolphus know that she had fallen asleep. It irked him how easily she found it to relax and sleep in his arms, knowing that he was the enemy. He was a dangerous, murderous monster, sure he had promised to protect her but what did the word of man such as him mean to her? She should have been afraid and trembling in his presence as others did. He had seen the fear in her eyes after touching the darkness in his soul, after all what else but that could have brought on such fear in her…? And yet she snuggled against him when they were together, and was yet to struggle against him when he bound her arms or held her down; there was no fear here in the bed they shared.

But even as his mind tried to work out the strange woman in his arms he felt his body lull and slowly the cloud of sleep flowed over him and the world went dark. Her words echoed softly in his quieting mind. _Je T'aime… _I love you. It was only in that last moment before sleep claimed him that he realised that his wife had never spoken those words to him. Ever.

~*~

"She'll never do it," Rodolphus said, sounding bored and frustrated as he looked over the letters that had been passed to him. "She is in my service, but her loyalties remain unchanged. The woman is as stubborn as a feeding Hippogriff and she'll die slowly before she ever betrays Potter."

"But her precious Potter betrayed her!" Belatrix screeched. "Practically delivered the little slut into our hands."

"The order betrayed her, Bela dear." He returned with a raised brow. "Even if he had, she would not return the favour."

"Oh please, Rodolphus," Lucius drawled. "I think we all know that your sweet Miss Granger is far from the heroic angel you paint her to be."

"I have to agree, brother," Rabastan chuckled, smirking at the way Belatrix silently fumed beside her husband. "It is rare that we find a good girl who will so wantonly suck a Death Eater's cock."

"Exactly!" Lucius nodded, also smirking, but now it was Rodolphus who fumed. "She has her price like all pretty whores. We just have to find it. Maybe you're not satisfying the mudblood as much as you think, but I bet I could make her scream…"

Without warning Rodolphus lunged across the table, grabbing the white haired pureblood by the throat. Glasses flew and smashed and Belatrix jumped her feet with an outraged cry.

"You touch her and I'll rip your balls off and eat them while you watch!" He roared.

An angry hissing from the doorway made them all turn to see the Dark Lord glaring around the table. "What is thisss?" he hissed, baring his small sharp teeth as he seemed to float into the room. "Rodolphusss, you will explain."

Rodolphus immediately released his old friend and cleared his throat, standing straight. "I am sorry my lord, forgive me, I lost my temper at Lucius' harmless jibes."

The snake-like wizard looked over his faithful and nodded at the way they seemed to agree and accept Rodolphus' apology. "Then let us begin to find a solution to our latest problem, shall we?" He seemed to take in each of the affirmations from the other men and women in the room and nodded again. "From Rabastan's information we can deduce that our good friend Fenrir is not so good a friend as we had hoped. But if displeased he could make a formidable enemy as he boasts power over all the Wolf Packs in England."

"Such a powerful wizard can not be suffered unless he is serving you, my lord," Rabastan said. "But in order to kill him we would need to gain entry to the Werewolf Reserve."

"Indeed," Voldermort agreed, resting his hand on Rabastan's shoulder. "And we just so happen to have a young lady in out service who has that access. She could bring down the wards so we could strike."

"But that is just my point, my lord," Rodolphus said, bowing his head respectfully. "She has that access because she is one of the bleeding-hearts who set up the Reserve in the first place. Hermione will gladly die before she endangers them."

"Yes," Lucius sighed, crossing one long leg over the other. "It seems that the delectable Miss Granger will gladly die before doing many things… Well except for those tasks that require her on her back."

Lucius grinned innocently at Rodolphus' bared teeth and growling face but once again they were interrupted.

"Yes, thank you, Luciusss." Voldermort turned to Severus, who until now had been silent. "Severusss, is there not a werewolf in the Order?"

"There is, my lord," Severus said nodding. "Remus Lupin…" He was cut short by Draco snorting.

"What is it, Draco!" Lucius spat, impatiently.

Draco looked offended, glaring at his father for a moment before he started. "Well, don't you recognize the name father?" He sneered. "Professor Lupin was a teacher at Hogwarts in both Granger's third and seventh years. The filthy mudblood whore practically dropped to her knees with her mouth open every time that half-breed entered the classroom." He grinned maliciously at Rodolphus, who was gritting his teeth, his face a mask of barely kept rage. "It seems that even half-breeds have standards."

"Well, I believe we've found a possible weaknessss." Voldermort grinned, showing his sharp teeth again. "Severusss, I believe you know what to do."


	10. Chapter 10

* * *

Remus J Lupin had always prided himself on his self control, strong moral practices, kindness and loyal friendship, but as he stood in the dark corner of number Twelve, Grimmauld Place he forcefully shoved those elements away. Kindness, friendship and morals had no place in what he planned to do to Severus Snape.

The door flew open, in the Potion Master

's usual flourish and Remus watched silently, a snarl curling his lips, baring his sharp wolf-like teeth. He felt Moony shifting inside him, restless, hungry and for the first time he didn't fight against his beast.

"Good afternoon, Severus," he drawled, his voice dangerously low.

Severus looked rightly startled when he swung around just in time to watch Remus emerge from the shadows. "Merlin's balls, Lupin." his hand covered his chest. "I wasn't aware that skulking in the shadows was your thing?"

"I get the feeling that there are many things about each other that we don't know, Severus." He slipped each word through his lips with a quiet calm and approached with slow, deliberate steps.

"Indeed," Severus said, his eyes shifted nervously as he backed up a step. "And as entertaining as this is, would you mind if we gave our usual arguments a miss, I need a word before the meeting begins."

A slow smile spread over the werewolf's lips, baring his teeth in an all too primal grin. "What meeting?"

Severus paused and finally looked closer at the man in front of him. Remus could smell the usually arrogant man's fear and grinned wider.

Moony liked fear…

"What meeting?" Severus cleared his throat and pulled himself up to his full height. "The one scheduled for this morning, the one I went to great pains to attend…" He looked around the corner then tipped his head to the side to listen for noises upstairs. "Where is everyone?"

Remus shrugged and leaned languidly against the stair-rail. "Called out, apparently there will be a Death Eater raid on Diagon Alley this morning."

The taller man balked spinning on his heel. "I know of no attack."

"Really?" Remus feigned surprise with another shrug. "Must be another - unfortunate - misunderstanding." He clucked his tongue shaking his head. "We must be more careful."

Severus snarled and gripped Remus' shoulders. "What is this trickery?" He bellowed and gasped as Remus wrapped a hand around his neck and pinned him to the wall. "How easy it would be...snivellus, to snap your neck and claim self defence... and it isn't even the full moon."

The dour Potion's master shuddered but rose his head defiantly. "What is you want mutt?"

Remus smirked, now they were getting somewhere. "I know Hermione is alive and slaved to Lestrange, what I would like to know is why you felt the need to keep it quiet!"

Severus' flinch was barely noticeable but the wolf sensed it and his grip on his neck tightened. "You lied to the Order, Severus, in direct violation of your vow. I've seen it Snape. Seen the way you watch her, look her over…" Remus closed in, baring his teeth viciously close to Severus' face, till his mouth was a mere inch from his rival, hot angry breaths mingling between them. "Have you tasted her too?"

Time stopped, seconds ticking on the huge clock were noise and no more and Remus knew he'd made a mistake. He pulled back sharply but was unable to stop his gaze dropping to Severus' mouth. His lips were slim, mouth wide, Remus was surprised that he had never noticed just how sensually shaped Severus' mouth was… Oh Merlin, no.

Severus felt as shell-shocked as Remus looked but one look at the damned wolf told him enough to move. Two strides brought Severus to his side, their ragged breaths mingling again moments before the potion master cupped the back of the wolf's throat and plundered his already parting lips.

For so long now there had been only anger, hatred, resentment, jealousy keeping the two quietly intelligent men apart, but this explosion of new anger and intense want was all that was needed. Severus shoved Remus against the wall and pressed him there with his taller body, his mind blind to all but his need to be closer.

But even as the world faded away, Severus' mind still functioned and he knew that he had to tell Remus why.

"I'm sorry," he muttered between kisses, nipping Remus' bottom lip and sucking it just enough to make the other man groan and shudder against him. "I wanted to tell you… That bloody old fool and his meddling has cost me so much - I couldn't just let her die. She deserved better. She deserved a chance."

"Hermione?" Remus pulled back a little, looking dazed.

"She is alright," Severus said and rested his forehead against Remus', shutting his eyes against his own raging emotions. "I couldn't just let her die - So I gave her a chance, a choice and she chose."

All at once Remus shoved Severus away. "What kind of choice was that?" he hissed and shook his head, glaring at the other man. "Either die or become a Death Eater's whore?"

Severus' lips curled into a lecherous grin and he finally let his gaze drift over the tall lithe body of Remus Lupin. "You didn't seem to mind the idea a moment ago." But he raised his hands in surrender when Remus reached into his pocket for his wand. "Not just any Death Eater, Rodolphus Lestrange."

Remus blinked. "And this is supposed to make me feel better? He is Voldermort's top killer. That sick bastard has murdered and tortured dozens of innocent wizards and witches and muggles, probably would have been hundreds if he hadn't been sent to Azkaban for fourteen years. I don't even want to think about what he's doing to…"

"What do you really remember about Rodolphus? From Hogwarts I mean," Severus asked, summoning a high backed chair and sitting with legs crossed.

"You mean besides the fact that he was a bigoted bastard?" Remus spat and rolled his eyes when Severus merely nodded and signalled for him to continue. "Well, He was the only one besides you who rivalled me in the OWLs and NEWTs. He was an amazing duellist, incredible to watch and the only one who could best James. But unlike James, when he was bested he always paid his respects and made a point to learn from the loss rather then seek revenge."

"Something James took great joy in I remember." Severus muttered, but quickly remembered himself. "What else?"

"He was possessive, what was his, was his…" Remus looked up to see a slow smile spreading over Severus' face. "And he always took care of his things to the point of obsessional."

"Miss Granger is safe for the moment, he will protect her."

"Alright I see that part, but, Severus, she's still…"

"His whore, yes she is and so it will remain until she is ready to leave."

Remus shook his head. "Ready to…?"

"Oh please, Lupin," Severus sighed impatiently. "You have said it many times and I have agreed and thought such things myself. Hermione Granger is the cleverest witch either of us have met in many years, and Malfoy Manor is hardly a prison."

"Of course." Remus let out a long, pained breath. "To her eyes, the Order betrayed her."

"Indeed, but that is where I need help." Severus stood and began to pace. "I expected Hermione to adapt and survive and I did not doubt that she would take to her position with vigour."

"Severus," Remus growled warningly.

"Use your brain, Lupin!" Severus snapped. "There is a reason why she had not lost her virginity till now, even though the chit is surrounded by men who, as you have noticed, would have gladly walked though fire for a chance with her. Even at fourteen she was instantly drawn to you, and I didn't miss the fleeting glances she shot at me, _after_ she found out that I used to be a Death Eater, and I need not remind you of the Romanian Seeker."

This time Remus did pull his wand, fire in his eyes as he pointed it directly at Severus' throat. "Are you saying that Hermione Granger is only attracted to dangerous men?"

Too quickly, Severus slipped to his feet, flicked up his hand and grabbed Remus' wand, ripping it to the side and pulling the werewolf close. "Yes." He sounded out each letter, drawing attention back to his mouth before claiming Lupin's lips again. He pulled back, keeping their still panting lips close. "And worse yet, she has fallen in love with him."

"Of course she has," Remus dropped his head onto Severus' shoulder. "It's not like things could get much worse…" he looked at the Potions Master and laughed softly.

Severus had to work hard to stop his own mouth from twitching in his amusement. "You know, I always wondered about you and Black."

"That ended long before the end of our Hogwarts days," Remus said and pulled away. "You were not the only one who would have lost his life had you made it through that passage to the shack."

~*~

The feel of his hot, demanding mouth, grazing down her shoulder, pulled Hermione slowly from her cloud of sleep. She moaned and arched her back, stretching her arms high above her head as his rough tongue lapped at and circled one erect nipple.

"Rodolphus," she sighed and wove her fingers into his auburn hair.

He chuckled and parted her thighs with his knee, holding her wrists against the bed as he kissed and nipped his way around her jaw-line. "I want you again, my sweet witch."

Hermione moaned, her fingers tingling where he held her so firmly against the mattress. "Your insatiable." But even as she spoke, her lower body flooded with heat, loving the feeling of his long thick cock so hard and ready between her thighs.

"Insatiable, you say," he murmured, eyes glittering wickedly as he shifted his hips till he found her soaking opening. "Can't imagine why." And rammed his thickness hard and fast and to the hilt with a yell that left him breathless. "I find this very satisfying."

She felt torn in two as he ravished her hard and fast; Making her cry out with the sheer speed and force of his thrusting lower body. She loved how strong he was and yet even as he held her down and plundered her mouth and body, he watched her closely, gauging his thrusts and with a sinful smirk he shifted his angle just enough to send his cock dragging again and again over that spot inside that made her quiver.

Dropping his head to the pillow below, Rodolphus breathed hard against her throat as his lower body picked up speed, his hands tightening on her wrists as his own completion came closer. He moaned and thrust deeper, harder when she wound her thighs around his waist, and his breath was hot and wet against her ear with every rasping breath.

"That's it, Hermione," he rasped at the feel of her writhing beneath him. "Come for me sweet witch - my witch."

And she did. With a cracked cry, Hermione's back arched and her body shook with the force of her carnal release, her body milking his thick cock till he joined her with another yell that seemed to echo around the room as he stiffened and shuddered above her, his warm seed spilling deep.

It was much later that Rodolphus still lay next to her on the bed, kissing a warm tingly line down her spine. Hermione smiled and sighed at the simple pleasure of being here with him this way. It had been a long time since he had stopped leaving immediately after he's taken his release, and now seemed as content as she to simply lay together, sharing the afterglow and relaxing in the warmth.

"What are you thinking about, Hermione?"

"I don't want to bore you," she murmured and shivered when his tickling fingertips danced over her sensitive buttocks.

He gripped her shoulder and forced the smaller woman onto her back, grinning mischievously at her indignant glare. "I would not have asked if I thought you boring, Cherie."

"Fine," she said shortly, pushing back her temper and compressing her lips at the knowing curl of his lips. "I was looking through a little book that Severus managed to acquire from Albus' library. Translating bits and pieces, trying to find something to do with the Deathly Hallows story, and I found this symbol that was inscribed by hand above the story."

"What was the symbol?" He asked, gliding a single finger down between her breasts and drawing slow, intricate patterns on her stomach.

"Well…" She folded her arms behind her head. "It looked like an eye."

"I can think of five right now that could match it."

"Yes, me too and it's not any of them… But I know that I've seen it somewhere else." She groaned and sat up. "If I can just remember."

Rodolphus didn't even try to hold back the grin as he looked up at his brilliantly clever witch. He loved watching her think, watching her mind muddling out a problem, the way her nose crinkled and her lips pursed. Still grinning he sat up behind her and placed a lingering kiss on her bare shoulder then shifting so he was kneeling behind her he began to rub and massage her slim shoulders.

Hermione moaned and tipped her head to the side and he would feel her muscles relaxing under his talented fingers.

"You just need to relax a little, cherie," he said, surprised by how willing he was to soothe her and the simple warm pleasure that came with the act. "You'll remember, they don't call you the walking encyclopaedia for nothing, right?"

She laughed and leaned back against his chest, her hair tickling him and her body warm. "Don't remind me." Turning her head to look at him, her eyes seemed to shimmer. "Do you really think I'm that nerdy?"

Looking into her face, he felt as though he were falling. "I think you're beautiful," he rasped wrapping his arms around her shoulders and capturing her lips in a searing kiss, his tongue slipping in to taste her velvety warmth.

"Viktor."

The name slipped from her lips just as Rodolphus pulled back to take a breath. An icy shiver snaked down his spine and in one movement he let her go and sat back. "Viktor?" he snarled feeling his rage rising hot and almost painful through his fingertips and up his strong arms.

She turned to face him and he saw the surprise in her face when she looked at him. "Yes, I was dancing with Viktor at Bill and Fleur's wedding when Luna Lovegood's father walked in wearing bright yellow robes - with that symbol on the front!"

At her bright, triumphant grin, Rodolphus felt his temper cool. Her face was glowing and he wasn't sure that he liked the flow of warmth that her pleasure sent through him. He watched, almost afraid of his own emotions as she slowly crawled closer but didn't fight when she straddled his thighs and wound her arms around the back of his throat.

He saw the awareness in her eyes and cursed himself for letting her see her effect on him. But when she took his hand and brought his palm to her lips it was all he could do to hold back the almost doglike whimper at the sweetness of her touch.

"No other man has or will ever touch me the way you touch me," she whispered and slid his hand slowly down, making him cup and squeeze her breast. "And no other man could possibly make me feel - the way I feel when I'm with you."

Her breast felt good, luscious, full, and so soft and as he stroked his thumb over the nipple he felt it harden, eliciting the sexiest damn mew from the witch straddling him.

Clearing his throat and shifting so his quickly hardening cock was nestled against her damp centre, he brushed a stray curl of hair from her face. "Tell me what you remember."

Her eyes dropped and the glint of hurt in her brown eyes sent another of many slivers of guilt through him, but he pushed it away and instead gripped her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Tell me."

"Viktor was angry, more then I've ever seen," she said, almost glaring into his face and he could feel the prickle of her magic, her own frustration and anger obvious and all too exciting. "He said that it was the symbol of Grindelwald."

"The plot, thickens," he murmured grinning at the way she fought against her own amused smile. "You know if you get too clever, the Dark Lord may take more interest in you. As it is a great number if our army are being eaten alive by their rampant curiosity."

Hermione shuddered and shook her head. "Your Lord will _never_ touch me."

"What makes you so sure," he hissed softly, his ire raising at her obstinacy and lack of respect. "You are my slave and I am his."

She looked at him for a long time before taking his hand again and his eyes widened when she moulded his fingers so they circled her throat. "If that moment comes then I want it to be your hand. You have killed many witches, what is one more?"

Growling dangerously he tightened his fingers, blocking her airway and grinning at the flash of fear in her eyes. "Do you think I wouldn't witch?" he spat and tightened some more watching her gasp for breath.

"Yes," she gasped her words barely audible. "I know you would - but - where else would I want to be - when I die?"

Before he could think his hands were suddenly on her arms and he shoved her down onto the bed. Mindless and urgent he shoved her thighs apart and forced his painful erection deep inside her soaking passage. His thrusts were impossibly fast and dangerously hard, his hands bruising her arms as he grunted his lust, his need and took his pleasure with a roar.

~*~

In another room, in another part of the mansion Belatrix Lestrange sat alone in her rooms. Her rage simmered and grew hotter with every passing minute and her magic crackled to the extent that items on her mantle began to tremble.

It had been weeks since her husband had come to her and from what she'd heard from the elf, he hadn't slept in his own bed now for almost as long.

And she knew why…


	11. Chapter 11

* * *

"I have arranged a meeting," Severus spoke evenly as he pulled his long black coat over his slim shoulders.

"Meeting?" Remus asked, buttoning his brown slacks.

"Between you and Miss Granger, I assumed that you would like to see for yourself that she is alive and well." Severus shrugged and turned to search for any other possessions that had been dropped in their frantic need to touch and taste each others bare flesh.

"I would!" Remus was fast to respond grinning widely. "When? I can't wait to see her… Merlin there's so much I need to say to her, want to say."

Severus watched as Remus paced the room wringing his hands and grinning like a loon. In all the years he'd known him, this was the first time Severus had seen him so and he wondered at the warm glow of knowing that he had pleased him. He'd never really given it much thought but it felt good to do something and be appreciated; even if his reasons were less then honourable…

"Well on this occasion you will have but one message to convey and there will be a high price."

Remus chuckled wryly and seemed to physically calm himself. "When is there not a high price for such things?"

"Indeed," Severus replied moving to sit on the edge of the bed they had recently vacated. Something caught his eye and he reached down to pick up what looked like a pair of women's panties… Nymphadora's? He let them drop and quickly moved to another part of the small room under the guise of searching for a dropped item.

Apparently, the wolf wasn't quite ready to separate from his cosy life - not that Severus wanted him to. Why the thought of their weekly _meetings _being anything more then the mutual disposal of frustrations was preposterous...

"I have to be honest with you, Lupin," Snape said briskly. "My choices have been limited in how to approach this matter and I would rather not distress Miss Granger any more then I need."

Remus looked shocked and slightly put out by the Potion master's tone. "Well of course."

"The Dark Lord want's Fenrir dead, but to do that we need Miss Granger to pull down the wards of the sanctuary, and as you know she must do it of her own free will."

"What!?" Remus' face flushed red and he turned to glare at his part-time lover. "No! She would never endanger my kind that way and I will not allow it."

"That is the price." Severus spoke evenly, his expression emotionless even as he cringed at the anguish on Remus' face. "You see her alive and well and in return you convince her to do what you both know in your hearts is wrong - and of course the supplementary prise is that we will indeed kill Fenrir and it will not be quick."

Remus shook his head and turned away, clenching his fists. "What if I refuse?"

"Then the Dark Army will use you to force her hand." They shared a long pregnant look that conveyed all that the wolf needed to know, and Remus shuddered, swallowing hard.

"W - What if I can't convince her to do it? You know as well as I how strong willed the girl can be; and how stubborn."

Severus felt himself deflate and shut his eyes tight, taking a calming breath before speaking again. "Then Rodolphus will be forced to punish her."

~*~

Hermione bit hard into her lip to hold in the all too erotic gasp as Rodolphus stepped from behind the curtain. It was completely inappropriate for him to be dressed so, and even more so for her to find him so desperately sexy.

His long Red-wine coloured hair was tied back, leaving that single braid with the emerald beads and wolf fang even more outstanding. His ruggedly handsome face was now clean-shaven and his eyes glittered with wicked amusement even as his full lips curled into an all too knowing smile.

"Like what you see - my child?" He obviously added that last part for effect. It worked.

Seamless black slacks stretched over his long legs and matching button-up black shirt barely covered his broad, muscular chest. At his throat was a white priest's collar that finished the muggle outfit.

"When I said, we needed to dress like muggles I meant jeans and a shirt." She swallowed hard trying to rein in her bubbling hormones.

He laughed and moved towards her, his hips shifting in that intoxicating cat-like walk. "Come now, my sweet slave." He ran his fingers up her bare forearm and grinned again at the way she shivered. "What is the fun of dressing up if one can not step out of character a little."

"Agreed," she said, her voice cracking. "But the point to this exercise was to blend in."

Rodolphus chuckled and turned her to face the full-length mirror, his gaze making a searing trail down her quickly flushing body. She wore a pure white summer dress, just tight enough to show her soft curves but modest enough to make her look sinfully virginal.

"Do we not?" He murmured into her ear, swiping her lobe with his tongue blowing all too gently making her mew with the fresh rush of arousal.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she looked at them both in the mirror. They made a striking couple, him dressed as a priest and her a virgin. "We look like one of Harry's Blasphemous wet dreams - Father Lestrange"

"Mmm Blasphemy is as blasphemy does - My child."

Rodolphus' strong arms wound around her waist and pulled her against the rock hard desire trapped in his clerical slacks. He kissed her cheek and flicked his tongue out to lap at that tiny erogenous zone just where her throat met her jaw.

Hermione reached up and back, blindly, to link her wrists behind his neck as his mouth slid hotly down her throat to nip at her shoulder and his hands shifted higher to cup her breasts.

Her eyes fluttered open and the muggleborn gaped at the erotic picture they made. Him so large and powerful her more fragile and delicate. His eyes met hers in the mirror and his lips curled into an all too sensual smirk as his hands slid over the curves of her hips and slowly began to gather the pure white skirt of her dress, revealing more and more of her creamy thighs.

"Do you like to watch, Hermione?" He murmured gruffly into her ear, sliding a single finger over the crotch of her quickly dampening panties.

"I - I think I might," she stammered, trying hopelessly to keep her voice even.

"I like watching you. Your pretty cheeks flushing and that sweet little body trembling." His voice just seemed to grow more husky with each word and she felt his trapped cock flex against her bottom. "You always look so bloody pure and innocent, but I know what a wicked little kitty you are."

His hand deftly shoved her panties aside and two long fingers slid either side of her already swollen clit, rubbing in tight, deliberate circles, making her cry out softly, her voice breaking. Her eyes closed but his sharp command for her to open them had her watching again.

Her face flushed and a sharp mixture of embarrassment and desire shot up her spine and all the way to her fingertips as she watched him in the mirror. Her gaze dropped to where his fingers touched her so intimately. Meeting her own eyes she took in her wanton appearance, her cheeks were indeed flushed, her full lips parted to suck in more air. But as he rubbed just a little faster there was only desire left and she watched as Rodolphus grinned at her uninhibited moan.

"That's the way my slave. Never be embarrassed by what we do. Men and women have touched and loved this way since time began and I want you to see what I see when we are together, know yourself as I know you." He licked the tip of his tongue up her throat, and they both watched her eyes darken and her pupils expand with passion. "I can name ten men right now who would hand me their entire estates to see what I see, to feel the bliss that comes within your embrace." With aching slowness he slipped one thick finger inside her quivering heat and groaned when her inner muscles immediately tightened and massaged it. "Mine," he growled, baring his teeth, his eyes burning into hers in the mirror.

With that single word, Hermione's world exploded in a great burst of white hot light and brilliant colour. Her eyes flicked closed and her mouth fell wide as her body shook with the kind of rapture she had only ever experienced in his arms.

As she floated back to earth the muggleborn mewed in disappointment at the feel of his fingers gently pulling out and away. Her eyes flickered open just in time to see her master bring those two fingers to his mouth and suck them clean with a deep rumbling moan of his own.

"Perhaps we should have one of these placed above our bed, my mistress?" he murmured.

Hermione had to struggle to find her voice. "If that would please you, my lord."

"It would," he said knotting his fingers into her long curls and forcing her to turn towards him. "But now it is my turn to watch."

No instruction was necessary as he forced his slave to her knees and deftly unzipped his pants.

~*~

It was much later that the two walked through London. Hermione had spent the better part of the night begging Rodolphus to let them travel via apparition and foot rather then broom. A mischievous smile curled her lips at the wicked acts he had made her perform in order to get her way.

"What has you smiling like the cat who found the cream, young lady?" He spoke quietly so that the other people passing would not hear although several of them seemed to be gaping openly at them.

Two girls starred wide eyed at her master dressed so inappropriately as a priest and giggled breathlessly when he gave them his sexiest lopsided grin and a wicked wink.

Hermione couldn't hold back the knowing smirk that curled her lips as the two girls glared at her jealously as she and Rodolphus walked away. There was a great sense of power in knowing that so many other woman wanted him and yet it was her hand that he held, his thumb tenderly caressing her wrist. She looked over at him and felt that familiar flow of warmth when he looked back at her with mock innocence.

"Am I not blending in, my lady?" He drawled.

She laughed and stroked an easy hand down his arm, loving the way his muscles flexed under her fingers. "I think you would stand out no matter what you did."

Rodolphus looked down at his mistress and felt his heart stop just for a second at the look in her eyes. Love. It shone so bright and warm and perfect from those eyes, from her smile. She had said the words that one while he took her, but he had believed it to be simply a reaction from the bliss she found in their bed. Seeing it now so clear and good…

"Come, we have no time for this," he muttered tersely and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, ignoring her pained wince, and walked quickly around the corner till they found a deserted alley and shoved her roughly against the brick wall.

"M - My Lord?" She stammered, a glint of fear making her eyes wide.

He had to force himself to look away from her trembling lips and instead funnelled his growing arousal into anger. Anger was good. Anger was safe, the only safe her had known had been in his rage and it would not change now.

"Stop it," he hissed and shook her violently, grinning maliciously when she whimpered. "Filthy mudblood --" he gritted his teeth at the way she cringed at his use of the words. "You should think yourself lucky that I even let you touch me. How dare you harbour such feelings for a pureblood, as though you have a right."

He watched her face grow pale and dug his fingers painfully into her upper arms at the emotions shifting across her face. Hurt, indigence, pride, and something else, something he couldn't figure, until she finally managed to control herself.

"Do you honestly think that I chose this?" She said evenly. "You think that I wanted to fall in love with Voldermort's head murderer?" She laughed humourlessly and shut her eyes.

"You don't love me," he gritted out. "And I would never lower myself to harbour any such feelings for one so pathetically low, as you."

"You call me filthy and pathetic, and yet you have no problem tainting yourself with me each night." She spat, glaring blazing rage right back at him.

He felt her magic crackle around them and his own rose with it. Litter on the cobblestone path began to shift, a cup rolled away and a lone sapling that had managed to sprout between the stones, snapped and wilted.

"There is a difference between fucking a whore and making love to your wife," he threw back, the irony of his words not lost on him. "Mudblood or not you have a tight, slick cunt that is always ready when I want to pleasure my cock inside it."

Something exploded not far from where they stood and Rodolphus watched as Hermione's hair rose and danced although there was no breeze. He felt his eyes glow black and he could smell smoke.

"You're lying," she said, shaking her head even as the burning smell grew stronger. He could feel her magic calming even as his own heated with his growing outrage. She shook her arm free and brought his hand to her heart, pressing it hard so he could feel her heartbeat. "Maybe it is not love, but I know you feel something for me. You must."

"Don't fool yourself, whore." He twisted her hand and brought it to the rock hard bulge in his pants. "This is all I feel when I look at you." He groaned between clenched teeth when he forced her fingers to squeeze him.

He unzipped his fly and brought her hand to wrap around the thick length of his erect cock. He grinned leeringly into her wide, shocked eyes and made her stroke him, up and down, up and down, feeling the first glimmers of his climax growing already.

Leaning his head against the wall behind her, he held her hand in place, stroking faster, making her grip tighter. "You want this," he muttered, his other hand deftly pulling up her skirt and shoving aside her soaking panties. He groaned again, his cock flexing at finding her wet and wanting.

He drank in her whimper of pleasure as he sank two long fingers into her soaking cunt and slowly dragged his coarse thumb over her clit, over and over, loving the feel of her trembling so close to orgasm.

"This is what you love," he rasped , stroking faster still and breathing raggedly into her silky, citrus smelling hair.

"Rodolphus… Ooh Rodolphus…" she gasped over and over. She shuddered as her body filled with pleasure and her cunt contracted and squeezed his fingers, sucking him deeper, wanting more.

Mouth wide and his eyes shut tight, Rodolphus pressed his forehead harder against the wall and gripped her hand tighter, making her stroke his throbbing cock till his seed suddenly burst from him in long streams, eliciting a breathless yell with each.

Slowly as the world began to return, he was conscious of her fingers so gently caressing his hip, another stroking his hair as she kissed his cheek with a tenderness that made a strange lump rise in his throat.

"You were right," she whispered into his ear, her warm breath caressing his lobe. "I love the way you make me feel, I love the ecstasy I find when you touch me. But that's not why I love you." She rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You're my champion."

With a grunt he pushed himself away and fixed up his pants, ignoring the way she watched him. "I'm not your champion. I am no body's champion." He tossed her a cursory look. "Clean yourself up, you look like a Knockturn Alley whore."

~*~

They reached the Lovegood house soon after midday. Rodolphus' fingers curled tightly around her wrist and Hermione quite, head bowed submissively. She had learned her lesson well and vowed to never forget her place with the cruel pureblood again.

Luna greeted them at the door with that familiar dreamy smile that Hermione couldn't help but return, if tentatively. She flicked a sidelong look at her master and was suddenly afraid of what he might do. When she had proposed the excursion she had been in a very different state of mind and had viewed Rodolphus in a frustratingly foolish rose coloured light.

"Hermione," Luna cooed. "They all believe you to be dead, you know?"

"Yes," Hermione replied. "I - um - I know and if it's alright with you I think we should keep it that way. Wouldn't want to worry anyone." She threw the last part in desperately and cringed at how lame it sounded.

Luna ran an invisible line across her lips and threw an imaginary key over her shoulder. "I won't breath a word, not that they would believe me anyway." She flicked a glance at Rodolphus and smiled knowingly at Hermione. "Maybe you should come in - you said you had questions."

The pureblood pulled Hermione back before she could follow and hissed into her ear. "Don't try anything clever here, mudblood. You will not enjoy the punishment I inflict as you have others."

She felt her temper rise and was tempted to attempt just that… But that would leave him alone - with Luna. Hermione shivered at the thought of what he might do to her old friend if she angered him more then she had already.

"I know my place, My Lord," she said, her voice clipped but her head bowed.

Sitting in the guest room, Hermione pulled out the book that Severus had given her and showed her the page in question. "Luna, why was your father wearing this symbol? Viktor said that it was the sign of Grindelwald."

Luna laughed, a light tinkly sound that reminded her of fairies. "Oh no, that is the symbol of the Deathly Hallows."

Rodolphus sat up straighter at Hermione's side. "But Viktor said that Grindelwald marked a slab of stone at Drumstrum with the symbol and used it the way that Voldermort uses the dark mark." She felt Rodolphus stiffen at the use of his master's name.

"Well…" Luna thought for a moment. "Maybe he found them, or searched for them, or maybe he just liked the story so much that he wanted to use the symbol. You know, the way parent's name their children after famous people or book characters."

"I guess," Hermione mumbled suddenly deflated. She had been so sure that she was onto a real clue with that symbol. "I suppose that I've wasted your time then."

"No," Luna cooed again. "I am very happy to see you, Hermione and I am awfully glad to see that you're not dead."

Rodolphus chuckled at her side and Hermione broke a smile as well. "Thank you, Luna."

That night Hermione sat alone in her room. Rodolphus had left as soon as she was secure and had not returned. She knew that he would not come to her tonight and knew that even if he did the coupling they shared would be empty and cold, just like him.

Her tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks. She hated herself for feeling so hurt, betrayed by a man that knew would never love her, would never be loyal to her. He was a Deatheater, and he hated all her kind. At the most he had a mild weakness where she was concerned and he did consider it weakness; but it was lust, so ice cold that it burned but cold all the is a difference between fucking a whore and making love to your wife

His words made her cringe and something squeezed her heart so painfully she gasped for breath. Was that where he was now? Making love to Belatrix?

She missed Harry. She even missed Ron and oh god she missed the twins and Remus…

Shutting her eyes she lay back and remembered that first day on the Hogwarts Express. The Moment she'd seen him she had known who he was, but that wasn't what drew her to him. She remembered sitting down and fixing his glasses and he had smiled. His beautiful green eyes lit up and his whole face seemed to shine when he smiled. Hermione felt her own mouth curling as she remembered how that smile had filled her with a warmth like she had never known. Not romantic, more familiar like a beloved brother… And she had left him alone. Alone with Tonks and Moody and Albus…

~*~

Rodolphus marched to his wife's rooms only to find them empty. He slammed his fist against her bedpost and growled deep in his throat. She was with him again, of course she was, where else would his whore wife be? Damn it why had he come here? This was nowhere near where he wanted to be. Rodolphus wanted to be with his mistress. He wanted to feel her warmth and bask in her impossible emotions.

At that moment Tipsy tittered in with several potion bottles and squeeked, eyes as wide as saucers when she saw him. "Tipsy is sorry Master Rodolphus. Tipsy did not know the Master would be here, Mistress Belatrix said that he would not be he or I would not have."

"It's fine, Tipsy," Rodolphus waved a tired hand. "Go about you're work."

The house-elf busied itself placing potion bottles and various herbs on Belatrix's side table. There was something familiar about them, something he had learned many years a ago but he could not put his finger on.

"Tipsy, what is all that?" He came up closer and sat nearer the potions and flasks.

"Why this is the Mistress' secret potion, she has had me bring this to her every night for many years now."

Rodolphus furrowed his brow, after so many years of marriage he thought his wife would have mentioned that she was taking some form of potion each night. Something ticked in his mind, something he didn't like... "Tipsy before my wife and I were sent away, was she still taking this potion?"

"Yes Master Rodolphus!" She nodded quickly.

"Was she taking it since before the Dark Lord requested her as his consort?" A darkness rose within him, striking something raw but he managed to keep his voice even.

"Why yes, Master Rodolphus! The Mistress has had me bring the ingredients of her secret potion since she was a student at Hogwarts."

Ground apricot Kernels, Neem oil, wild yam, pawpaw juice... _A contraceptive potion_.


	12. Chapter 12

"Not dead!?" Hermione hissed, wide eyed at the taken aback looking Narcissa. "Of course he's dead, I was there. Sirius was hit by some purple curse and fell back - into the veil of death."

"Have I said that any of that didn't happen?" Narcissa said waspishly then to Hermione's shaking head. "Thank you. My sister is a complicated woman, some say it is insanity but I know the truth."

"I don't want to hear about Belatrix," Hermione said between gritted teeth. "You said that Sirius wasn't dead."

The pureblood threw her a knowing look but did not comment. "It was Belatrix, was it not, who threw the curse at Sirius?"

The muggleborn nodded, grudgingly.

"And it was her curse that hit him directly in the chest and sent him falling back into the veil of death?"

"You know it was,"

"I do, and I know my sister better then even her husband."

"So does everyone else," Hermione muttered but quickly held up a hand in surrender. "Sorry, go on."

"Thank you." Narcissa plucked a tiny piece of fluff from her dark red robe. "I was betrothed to Lucius Malfoy before I was even old enough to crawl. It was a deal made between our fathers over a new potion they had invented. But Belatrix was always a little on the wild side and none of the other pureblood families would even consider allowing such madness into their bloodline."

Hermione tried to look sympathetic, but found it impossible to feel anything for the evil woman.

"Our father grew very frustrated with this fact, what with her twin being such sucker for all things muggle." Narcissa's expression grew dark. "I was very lucky indeed to have been the elder, more favourable child as our father had a temper. Violent and cruel he would beat her even if she put a single foot out of line, one low mark at Hogwarts and she would have bruises for days till he allowed her to heal them."

"Oh Merlin," Hermione gasped, that sympathy finally breaking though.

"Anyway, one night our father came home drunk and demanding why Belatrix had not attended any of Slughorn's parties. He was out of control, yelling something about that mudblood being invited but not his pureblood daughter." Narcissa took a deep breath. "He was crazy that night, I've never seen him so angry. I think he might have killed her - If Sirius hadn't stepped in."

"He always was a tragic hero that one, and although we never really got along, he just couldn't sit by while a father beat his daughter. He put himself between Belatrix and our father and just started yelling. Told him that if he was going to beat an innocent child that he would come through him first."

"She owed him a life debt," Hermione said thoughtfully. "No offence, Mrs Malfoy, but she doesn't strike me as the type to care about such things."

Narcissa smiled, a slow curl of her lips. "And that is what everyone else believes, except I, who know her better."

"Alright, so where is he now?"

"In the veil of death," Narcissa laughed at the younger woman's huff of impatience. "That purple curse was actually a stasis charm. If I am right then he is sleeping in a very comfortable protective bubble and simply waiting for someone to pull him out."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"I want a favour," Narcissa said simply. "I know that you promised to help me protect Draco but I also know that you are planning to escape so I was simply hoping that you would accept my gift of information and take Draco with you."

"How did you…?"

"My dear, have you learned nothing in these times we spend together," Narcissa asked with a single raised eyebrow. "You no longer carry that sensual, just-been-loved look in your eyes and Rodolphus has been an absolute bear over the last week. The house elf tells me that he has been spending his nights alone in his rooms."

Hermione's heart skipped. He hadn't been with his wife either? Was that better or worse? Was there a better or worse?

"That doesn't mean that I'm planning to escape."

"Oh come now, Miss Granger. You're growing love for Rodolphus was the only ward keeping you here. Now I fear he has put you back in your place and dashed your hopes."

"Draco hates me and worships Lucius, he'll never go."

"Then you will have to find a way to make him go."

~*~

His head hurt.

Hermione would know how to fix that.

"Shut up," he growled at himself, resting his arm over his eyes.

"You're my champion." He heard Hermione whisper in his mind, her voice so soft, so gentle.

"And I am nobody's bloody champion!" He roared, then gave a groan as his head hurt more. "Shit."

It wasn't possible for her to be so foolish. He was Rodolphus Lestrange, The Dark Lord's main muscle, assassin, torturer.

You saved her life…

"Only because I wanted to fuck her."

You didn't have to rescue the lady to do that.

"Fuck off," he muttered groaning again at the fact that he was arguing with himself.

"I certainly hope that wasn't aimed at me, brother." Rabastan leaned casually against the now open door frame, a bottle of expensive firewhiskey hanging loosely from his hand.

"Not if you're planning to share that," Rodolphus replied flicking a meaningful look at the bottle.

His brother grinned and shut the door behind him before spinning the nearest chair around and sitting so that his arms rested on the back. He opened the bottle with a flick of his wrist and took a long drink then passed it to Rodolphus.

The older brother took the bottle and took a drink, hissing through his teeth. "Souvenir from your travels?"

"Something like that," Rabastan said grinning. "Thought you could use a little."

Rodolphus grunted his agreement and passed the bottle back.

His brother watched him closely for a moment before speaking again. "Also thought that you might need an ear to chew, you know, brother to brother."

"I'm not in love with her, alright!" Rodolphus snapped and cringed at his brother's raised eyebrow.

"We're not talking about Belatrix, are we?" He responded, obviously knowing the answer.

"No." Rodolphus snatched back the bottle and took another drink.

"So it's Potter's Mudblood that has you acting like a dwarf with a wand up it's arse."

"I am not - acting like a…" But his words were cut by the first crack of laughter that he had felt in over a week. "I'm the same man I always am, no different."

"If you say so," Rabastan murmured. "But something is bothering you, so why not just spit it out. You know that I would never breath a word of anything you tell me."

"I know," Rodolphus said with a wane smile, passing the bottle back.

The bond between he and his brother was stronger then any he had ever experienced or even heard about. They had been through a great deal of hardship together, fought side by side growing up, hid from their father together, mourned the loss of their mother. At night when he father punished him for some slight or act of disobedience, Rodolphus would grit his teeth and stay silent so as not to scare his much younger brother.

"She - She said that she loves me. Called me her Champion." Rodolphus stood up suddenly and paced the floor. "How fucked up is that? I'm her bloody captor, I use her like a whore and took her away from her family and friends."

"So you take her by force?"

"Well no, you know me better then that. I like the women in my bed willing."

"And she enjoys sharing your bed?"

"Fuck yeah," Rodolphus said, grinning wickedly. "Sometimes I fuck her so bloody hard I swear she'd beg me to stop, the little vixen just screams for more. She trembles and tightens and cries out, arching that graceful back of hers. So fucking hot."

Rabastan chuckled. "So you make sure that she enjoys your touch as much as you enjoy touching?"

"So what?" Rodolphus spun to face his brother. "That makes me a man who likes the feel of a willing woman, not a bloody champion."

"You saved her life," Rabastan added.

"That makes me loyal to the Dark Lord and smart enough to think ahead."

"You're very protective of her…"

"Possessive," Rodolphus interrupted. "I don't like to share, you know that."

"Relax, brother," Rabastan handed him the bottle and watched him take three long swallows. "So what if the mudblood has feeling for you. Doesn't that make it all easier for you if she trusts you as her champion?"

"Not the point," Rodolphus coughed after another long swig. "It is the worst kind of cruelty to let a woman believe that she has found love when it is nothing but lust."

"How very noble."

"Yes it is," Rodolphus snapped. "I do have some standards and I take my honour seriously. The Dark Lord trusts me in ways that he will never trust Lucius, for that very reason. My word is all I have - I always keep my word and that is what makes it worth something to our Lord."

Rodolphus snatched back the bottle and brought it to his lips. "I do not care a jolt about the mouthy girl. I simply enjoy her."

"So then it's not a problem that Severus has just organized a meeting between her and her old crush Remus Lupin."

"What!?"

~*~

Rodolphus took to the halls at a run. Hermione was his and nobody was going to take her away. He made a right then a left and pushed on a loose shelf just below the ceiling. Below the wall swung inwards and he entered as quietly as he could, sending a silent thank you to his sister-in-law for sharing a few of the Mansion's secrets with him.

He followed the passage till he found the tiny peak hole and pressed his eye close to see into the library.

She was alone. But it wasn't just the fact that nobody else was with her, she looked alone. Hermione's head was bowed and she looked as though she hadn't slept. In all the time that he had been with her, his mistress had never looked so - so sad.

Was it because of him? How could it be! He was her captor; had stolen her virginity and made her his whore when she could have died a heroes' death.

What the hell did she see!? His own father had despised him, his wife always seemed happier in other men's arms…

But he didn't get to finish that thought as the door to the Library suddenly flung outwards and the werewolf Lupin was shoved inside.

The wolf turned to glare at Snape who merely sneered and shrugged a mock apology. "You have twenty minutes, wolf. Make them count." He turned to leave then over his shoulder. "Oh and I wouldn't get too touchy or her master will make her eat your balls for dinner."

"Yes Thank you Severus," Hermione spoke up, her voice tired.

They both waited for Severus to shut the door.

As soon as the Potions Master was gone Hermione lunged to her feet and threw herself at the stunned but pleased looking Remus.

Rodolphus gritted his teeth but held his place. This meeting had a purpose and the Dark Lord would be royally pissed if he interrupted.

Remus laughed and spun Hermione in a tight circle, holding her close and whispering words into her ear. "Darling, my sweet, darling girl. Merlin, but I missed you."

She beamed up at her old professor and pulled his hand to her lips pressing lingering kisses against his palm and fingers as she pulled him to the long sofa.

Rodolphus felt his temper grow hot. How dare she! How dare she touch another man, look at another man with such fondness in her eyes. That was his smile. He clenched his fists and held his place. He could do this. He would do this! The Dark Lord had ordered him to stay out of this meeting, no matter what happened between his mistress and the wolf…

"Oh Remus," she breathed a single tear sliding down her flushed cheek. "I missed you so much, missed everyone. How is Harry? And the Twins? Ron? Oh and Ginny?"

The wolf laughed again and pulled her closer, hugging her for a long moment before simply holding her close. "You're going to have to slow down there sweetheart. The twins and Ron and Ginny are all fine. Harry took your death hard, but he's pulling though and he'll be even better when you come home."

Rodolphus waited for her to pull back. Shake her head. Say something, anything to make it clear that she had no intention of ever leaving… She would, he knew she would, she loved him. She wouldn't leave him…?

But instead, Hermione grinned. "I know, I've been thinking of the perfect first line when we meet again. I was thinking of quoting Mark Twain."

Rodolphus' fist hit the wall, hard enough to send pain spiking up his arm but it was nothing compared to the sharp twist of pain in his chest. Never before had he resented his lord but at this moment he thought that he could happily break the bastard's neck. How could he do this to him, his most loyal. Hadn't Rodolphus done everything that was asked of him? Fuck he had even allowed the man to fuck his wife! And now the Dark Lord was going to lose him his mistress.

Remus chuckled and gave her shoulders another squeeze before pulling back, his expression sobering. "Hermione, I hate to ask this, and if you don't want to talk about it with me I'll understand but…?"

"Rodolphus?" Hermione finished his sentence and smiled wanly.

"How did you…?"

"You had that, "We're going to have "The Talk"" look in your eyes." Hermione pulled back as well and looked down at her feet. "I suppose that Severus has already told you most of it."

"That you're his mistress." He took a breath. "That you're in love with him."

Hermione gave a humourless laugh and wrapped her arms around herself, pulling further away. "You must think I'm disgusting - The worst kind of fool. Traitor."

With a gentle hand to the side of her face, he tipped her chin so she was looking into his eyes. "Never," he rasped harshly. "Hermione Granger I could never think anything less of you then the true admiration and affection that I have always felt."

She laughed, a watery, half-coughing sound and pulled his hand to her lips again kissing it over and over. "I feel the same for you."

"I have to ask though. Why?"

She shook her head and laughed again. "I don't know. He's not like the others here. He's not like anyone I've ever met."

Hermione stood up and looked thoughtful for a moment. "He is quite simply the strongest most powerful man I have ever met. He's arrogant and brutal, and yet honourable and more intelligent then I would ever have guessed a man like him to be." Hermione paced for a moment before stopping to look at Remus again. "He shouldn't be here, running around, blindly obeying that sycophantic murderer. He should be leading an army, in the muggle world he would have made an amazing General or a Warlord back in history, like Attila the Hun or King Leonidas. There is something inside him; a man so brilliant and brave and heroic... He takes my breath away. "

Her words drifted off, not because she stopped talking but because Rodolphus' world had just flipped on it's end, leaving him dazed and confused. He felt himself slide down the wall at his side till he sat on the cold floor. Was that what she really saw when she looked at him? He had been angry when she called him her champion, but he wasn't angry now. He wasn't sure how he felt. He leaned his head against the stone wall and just stared into space for what felt like hours. A smile that could only be described as goofy crossing his rugged face.

~*~

Time was almost up.

"So they want me to pull down the wards so that they can kill Fenrir?" Hermione said carefully. "And they think that I wouldn't want to be part of that?"

"That's about it." Remus grinned ironically.

"That has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard. My god if he's in there then he's probably terrorising the other wolves. Of course I'm going to do it."

"Well I knew that you would, but I'm glad that they called me in to talk you into it." He pulled her into his arms again and Hermione wrapped hers around his middle, snuggling against his warmth and loving the closeness. "Me too."

"But," Hermione said looking worriedly towards the door. "I'm not sure that you should leave the way you came in."

"Mm," Remus hummed and nodded. "Good point, no reason why they should let me go without a fight."

With a devious smile Hermione tapped her nose. "Dobby!" she called out softly and a small, pointy-eared house elf appeared with a pop. At Remus' questioning look she said, "What do you think I was doing with S.P.E.W all this time?"

She knelt down to the elf and smiled warmly. "Hello Dobby, how are you?"

"Oh very well, Mistress Granger," Dobby squeaked and bounced up and down in his pure white towel. "What can Dobby do for you today?"

"You can apparate out of here, right?"

"Dobby certainly can Mistress Granger, shall we go now?"

"No, it's not me who is going it's my friend, Remus."

The elf looked up at Remus with his huge eyes and smiled. "You are Remus Lupin!" He gasped excitedly. "Harry potter and Mistress Granger speak highly of Remus the werewolf."

"Well thank you, Dobby." Remus smiled warmly down at the little creature and nudged Hermione in the side. "Just full of surprises." He leaned over and planted a lingering kiss on her forehead before taking Dobby's offered hand.

"Where am I taking Remus Lupin, Mistress?"

"Back to the Grimmauld Place, somewhere dark so that nobody sees, alright?" Hermione took a small packet of sweets from her pocket and gave it to the elf. "And this is for you, my friend."

"Oh, Mistress Granger!" The elf looked like he might actually explode he was grinning and jumping so much. "Thank you." And with that both Dobby and Remus disapparated.

It was less then a few seconds later the door swung open again and Severus stood in the doorway. "Where is Lupin?" he asked looking darkly at the all too innocent looking muggleborn.

"Lupin?" She tipped her head to the side, biting on the inside of her lip to hold in the smug smile. "Oh you mean Remus?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Yes, I mean Remus. Where is he I have been instructed to escort him out."

"Oh! Well you just missed him."

He looked aghast. "Just missed him!?" He shook his head. "That's impossible, where is he Hermione?"

Her expression sobered and she finally looked him directly in the eye. "I made sure that he arrived home safely." With that she strode past him and out the door. "And you can tell your lord that I will indeed pull down the wards but I wish to kill Fenrir - personally."


	13. Chapter 13

"I said no." Rodolphus' voice was dangerously calm. "You are my mistress and I say that you will not be involved in this mission beyond bringing down those wards."

Hermione lifted her chin stubbornly. "Your Lord has already given his consent," she replied. "He would be mad if you stopped me now."

He growled and shoved her violently against the wall of her room. His hands gripped her arms painfully as he held her there, glaring down at her. "Do not speak of him as though you care about what he wants."

"I don't care what he wants." She hissed and struggled fruitlessly. "This isn't about your lord or this pathetic excuse for an army."

Rodolphus gritted his teeth and Hermione saw his deeper frustration. It confused her. Her master hadn't been to see her in weeks, had avoided her completely and now he suddenly had an opinion?

"Why?" He muttered, lowering his forehead to touch hers. "Why then are you willing to risk your life?"

"You know why!" Hermione dampened her lips, unnerved by his closeness. "Fenrir is a monster, cruel and vicious beyond your understanding. He has to be stopped and now."

"And we are about to do just that!" Rodolphus suddenly pulled away and turned from her only to swing back around. "Why does it have to be you?"

"Why do you care!" Hermione burst out. "You have made it clear that you hold no feelings for me, so why not just let me go. No doubt you'll find a fine replacement soon enough if you haven't already."

Three strides brought him to her and in one smooth motion his fingers tangled into her hair as his other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her hard against him.

"Oh no, Muggleborn," his breathed against her mouth, his lips curling. "You don't get out of your vow that easily."

With that he lifted her into his arms and tossed her unceremoniously onto the bed. She fell with a cry but instead of jumping to her feet she stayed put, watching with baited breath.

"Clearly it has been too long since I have disciplined you, slave." He spat. "You have forgotten your place."

She shivered at the cold look in his eyes. Hermione had pushed him too far. Without thinking her head dropped submissively. "I am sorry, my lord."

"I believe that you soon will be." Rodolphus flicked open his belt and pulled it free of his pants. "Get up."

Hermione didn't think she simply acted, slipping off the bed and standing. "Yes, my lord."

"Turn around and grip the bedpost."

She felt his eyes searing down her back as she did as she was told. His hand gripped the neckline of her mistress robe and with a grunt and a twist of his fist the dress tore down her back and fell from her naked form.

Hermione gasped at the suddenly cool air and again at the sound of a zip being pulled down and heavy leather pants hitting the floor. Her body flooded with heat at the sound, at the thought, the knowledge that he had come to her again at last. She almost sobbed in relief when his fingers grazed over her back and cupped one firm buttock.

She shivered as his fingers drifted all too slowly upwards. Over the round of her hips and the curve of her waist till he was cupping her breasts and groaning in her ear as her nipples tightened against his coarse palms.

His lips burned a trail from her ear to her shoulder and she moaned her delight when he gently nipped at the little spot where her throat and shoulder met.

Rodolphus chuckled, groaning as he rubbed his long thick hardness against her bottom. "Always so responsive my little slave." He dragged his thumbs over her erect nipples and she could feel his eyes on her as her head fell back and her legs went weak.

"Only with you, my master," she breathed, almost a sigh as the full extent of what he did to her settled heavily on her heart. Would he be the only man to ever make her feel this way? And if that was true then how could she leave him?

"Liar." The word was whispered into her hair but screamed through her mind.

Hermione turned to face him, lowering her hands to cover her breasts as she looked at the man before her. "What did you say?"

He raised a single eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. "I don't believe that it was lower your hands, or turn around."

"I don't care!" Hermione shook her head. "What makes you think that I am lying to you? Have I not been a loyal mistress?"

"Your loyalty remains to be seen."

With a long exhale, she sat on the edge of the bed, her arousal ebbing. "You believe that I have been laying with another man, then call in Snape, I will gladly allow him to search my mind and assure you of what you should know already!"

"What should I know!" Rodolphus growled and bore down on her again, pushing her back into the bed and forcing her up till her head lay on the pillows and he was propped up over her.

"Should I know what you are thinking? What you are planning?"

Me! Hermione screamed silently a single tear escaping her traitorous eyes and trailing down her temple. You should know me… "What do you want to know?"

Rodolphus looked down at her for a long time and Hermione watched, confused as his jaw clenched and his eyes clouded. "You're leaving me." His voice was gruff.

The way his voice broke was enough to make Hermione's heart wrench. She couldn't lie to him. "You know that I can't stay."

His expression hardened again but there was something else in his eyes now, something she couldn't name. "Do you even know what side you're on?"

Hermione smiled ruefully. "I guess I'm on mine."

He laughed softly and grazed his lips over hers. "I don't want you to go."

Her heart swelled to bursting and a lump rose in her throat.

"Then come with me." The words were out before she could stop them and instantly regretted speaking.

All at once Rodolphus was back on his feet and dressing. Hermione sat up and wrapped a sheet around herself as she stood. "Rodolphus?"

"Shut your mouth, Mudblood." He spat and headed for the door.

She was taken aback by his sudden withdraw and his sharp words. "My Lord, wait. I - I'm sorry."

He spun towards her and Hermione almost cried out at the raw rage in his expression. "You will never speak to me that way again. How dare you ask such a thing!"

She couldn't take any more. The stupid bloody divide again. She felt her magic rise and with it her own temper. "Do you really think that your lord cares about pureblood over the rest of us?"

"Don't test me, witch."

"He doesn't care about you or this so-called Dark Army. Voldermort cares only about power, he wants to rule so he jumped onto the most powerful and wealthiest bandwagon he could find, and you are it." She saw his face flushing a deep red, but couldn't stop. "His name is Tom Riddle, a half-blood with a muggle father. The man is nothing but a sick demented, bastard who wants to be king of all the foolish sycophants he can clamp onto."

Without warning, Rodolphus drew back his arm and struck her. The back of his hand slapped hard, making her see stars as she fell to the floor. Her cheek burned and she could taste blood. One hand over her bruising cheek, Hermione looked up from beneath her tussled hair to see him looking down at her a mixture of anger and shock as he looked at his hand and back at her.

He was breathing hard, his broad chest rising and falling as the different expressions shifted over his face. Hermione didn't dare move, didn't dare speak. Her master had done many things but he had never struck her this way. He didn't speak. Instead he opened the door and left her alone.

~*~

Remus' hands gripped the top of the cupboard door as though he would never let go. His knuckles had turned while and the muscles in his arms bulged and flexed with the simple exertion of gripping on and not making a single solitary moan or whimper.

The reason for the effort was on his knees, his lank black hair falling around his angular face, his hands gripping the werewolf's thighs and his lips wrapped tight and wet around Remus' cock.

Remus' lips opened and closed soundlessly. He watched Snape pleasure him in the most carnal, wicked, and satisfying way. Their eyes met and Remus felt hypnotized by the potion master's gaze. He rocked his hips in time with his lover's deep sucking pulls.

Remus was both confused and delighted with this new tryst. He had come down the stairs to be greeted by a rampant Severus.

"Sev…" He never got to finish. Severus shoved him hard against the wall and clashed their mouths together.

"You were dead, you cocky bastard," Snape hissed then grinned wickedly down at him. "They were not letting you out of there alive. And I couldn't do a god-damned thing about it."

Remus spluttered, confused and out of breath. "Well you set up the meeting. Is that what you wanted? Me out of the way?"

Severus shook his head, still grinning in a way that Remus had never seen before. "You want to know what I want?" And with that Severus flung open the cupboard door, shoved Remus inside and followed him in, shutting the door behind them.

Remus decided that he liked this, whatever was happening and not just the part where Severus was on his knees… Oh fuck but he did like that.

Severus groaned and sucked harder, pumped his mouth faster up and down Remus' cock. Looking down Remus could see Severus milking his own shaft in time and all at once it was too much.

Remus yanked the Potion's Master to his feet and mouths joined they stroked one another to sweet burning climax, each breathing in and out of the other.

~*~

Two days later, Rodolphus met with Hermione at the apparation point. He, as her master, had been chosen to guard her as she performed her mission and escort her back to Malfoy Manor after Fenrir was dead. The Dark Lord had made it clear to him that Fenrir was her kill. Rodolphus was not to interfere. It irked him that he would have to stand back while the lowly witch got herself killed… It irked him that he wasn't allowed to protect her, but what disturbed him most was the fact that he wanted to.

But as she approached all those concerns left his mind. "What exactly are you wearing?" He said sternly, but his gut wrenched when she lifted her face to look at him. She still bore a bruise on her cheek.

She lifted her chin and met his eyes, her expression cold. "I am not here as your mistress, I am here to fight."

His gaze drifted down her white singlet and black hip hugging pants. He would have thought such clothing would restrict her fighting abilities. "Wizards have been dueling in robes since before you were born, muggleborn."

"Well then what is the problem?" She murmured, pulling her wand as she approached. "I am a witch, not a wizard and as you and your kind have made it very clear to me, I do not belong in your world."

"So, you have no problem dying at the hands of that filthy half-breed?"

She smiled slowly. "I have several problems with that, actually and have no plans to die tonight." She looked him squarely in the eyes. "And that is the last time you will use the term, half-breed in my presence."

His fingers wrapped around her arm, pulling her closer. "I will speak as I please."

He could feel her trembling against him. His gaze drifted down her front, taking in the way that her breasts pushed against the front of the white singlet, the lace of a red bra a cruel tease and those tight black leather pants… He groaned inwardly as his cock pressed painfully against his own pants.

Fuck, he needed her. His lust had gone un-sated the night before and he'd stay well away from his wife, although it would have given him great pleasure to deal with her, preferably with his fingers around Belatrix's throat. But that conniving bitch was not worth the life that he was sure the Dark Lord would drag from him with pain if he were to kill her. He would deal with her later.

His gaze flicked back to Hermione's face and his chest lurched. Her eyes were fluttering closed and he could see the way her nipples tightened, the way she swayed closer, the way her chest and throat flushed. She wanted him. Her body was screaming for him to touch her - Twin tears slid down her cheeks and one hand rose to the bruise that he had inflicted in his frustrated rage.

"Hermione…" He whispered but was interrupted when the Malfoy whelp suddenly burst through the doors.

"Right! Let's go kill us some werewolves." Draco howled and laughed.

All at once Hermione seemed to pull herself together, pulling away from Rodolphus to glare at Draco. "I am killing one werewolf. You will not being killing anyone." It was an order and Draco looked as though he might back down.

"Watch your mouth mudblood," Lucius hissed as he came in behind his son. "We will do as we please, you will do as you are told."

Hermione shook her head and held her wand ready. "Not this time Malfoy. I agreed to bring down the wards in order to kill a murdering monster, you are not being given free rein to rape and murder innocents as you please."

Shoving his son aside and ignoring his indignant glare, Lucius prowled towards her. "Filthy slut," he growled, striding forward. "I will have you on your knees when I show you how a real wizard takes his whore." He gripped her arm and pulled her against him, licking his lips as he leered down at her.

Hermione lifted her chin so that she was looking into his eyes, his breath gusting against her parted lips. "Only my master may touch me," she whispered moments before pulling his knife from her pocket and plunging it deep into his stomach.

His eyes went wide and his mouth gaped. He gasped and seemed to be dragging his breaths in, in loud draws. His blood flowed hot over her hand and she gritted her teeth against the horrified sob that was rising in her throat.

She looked to the side, her gaze meeting the shocked, almost black eyes of Rodolphus. "Does my loyalty still remain to be seen?"

"Daddy…?" Draco rasped behind them and Hermione swung her face to see his ashen expression.

With a sigh that was almost frustration, Hermione slowly pulled the knife from Lucius' stomach, cringing when his cried out. She shushed him, with one hand on the side of his face. Swapping the knife for her wand she gently lowered the larger man to the ground and whispered the three healing charms necessary to repair the wound.

"Well you don't have to look so shocked," she laughed breathlessly at the way Lucius was feeling his unmarked stomach and looking at her as though she had an extra head. "I'm one of the good guys remember?"

"Father!" Draco dropped down to his knees on the other side, taking Lucius' hand and grinning.

All three men were now watching Hermione closely as she stood and put away the knife, using her wand to clean away the blood from her hands and clothes. "This is my kill, on my terms. You follow my rules or stay behind."

~*~

Hermione walked ahead of the three pureblood wizards. Two glared daggers and Avaders into her back the other she could feel only heat. Not that it mattered any more. Hermione no longer cared what her former master thought and she definitely hadn't been secretly pleased by the respect glowing in his gaze just moments ago…

She shook her head and clenched her teeth. No, what ever silly fantasy she had been holding had died the moment he stuck her. He had used whips on her, had used his bare hand on her arse, but what happened back in her room was different. He made it very clear to her that she would never be anything to him but a mudblood and a whore.

Stupid. What had she been expecting? "Yes, Hermione! I, the pureblood assassin of the Dark Lord have fallen head over heels and will leave everything I value and believe to run away with you to the hills…"

The plan, she had to concentrate on the plan.

This was going to be big. It would either work or they would all die… Rodolphus was going to be angry. Not that Hermione cared!

Reaching the Apparation point, Rodolphus pulled Hermione into his arms to so they could side-along apparate and the Malfoy father and son gripped hands. Resting her head against her master's chest she couldn't help but close her eyes and let him envelope her, body and soul. He was so warm, his arms so strong. How could something that felt so perfect be wrong?

That strange pulling feeling started behind her bellybutton then they were somewhere windy. She opened her eyes to see the countryside and had to force herself to step away from the man she loved. This would be the last time she would ever touch him.

"Is this it then?" Draco snipped, looking around skeptically. "I can see why they stuck the filthy bastards here; it's in the middle of fucking nowhere."

"Language, Draco," Hermione said without thinking and walked slowly towards the energy field she could feel nearby. "We're close."

"We better be, mudblood." Lucius growled behind her.

Raising her hands in the air, Hermione spoke sternly over her shoulder. "Remember my rules. No killing - You may stun if you are in direct danger." And with a meaningful look at Lucius, "And next time I will let you bleed to death."

That warning out, Hermione raised her power and made a door in the wards. "This is the only way in and out so remember where it is." She could feel the energies but left a slightly bluish glow in the area just in case.

"You were supposed to bring down the wards." Rodolphus spoke quietly.

"The goal was to kill Fenrir." Hermione answered evenly, still leading the way. "Now get down we don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

The four snuck stealthily through the forest till they reached a small housing block. Little cottages littered the clearing and at the far end was what looked like a cave, guarded by two dangerous looking men.

"Fenrir." Rodolphus spat. "He must be in there, that half-breed never was much for civilized life."

"Well it's not like any of you purebloods encouraged him to be." Hermione returned. "You used him like you use everyone. Offering empty promises and breaking them without a second thought."

"You will watch your…" Rodolphus never finished. From behind there was a loud 'thump.' the purebloods jumped and turned to find themselves face to face with three barely covered men, all taller then average and built to match. Muscular and hairy they growled as one.

"What are you doing here purebloods?" One hissed, baring his sharp teeth.

Hermione was the first to speak up. "We have come to speak with Fenrir."

The men looked at her for a long time, whispering hurriedly between each other before one spoke again. "Muggleborn, why are you with these Death Eaters?"

"T - that's not important and none of your business. I have requested to speak with your leader and by the laws of this land you must take me to him."

"Oh we must, must we?"

Rodolphus didn't like where this was going. All this talking was irrelevant. He was a warrior and these filthy beasts were the enemy of his Lord. Gritting his teeth he leaned forward to speak into Hermione's ear. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Do you have a better idea?" She sent back impatiently and he had to force back his temper. He would not strike her again. Even if she was disobedient.

"How about this?" Rodolphus pulled his wand and pulled Hermione behind him but before he could even speak the first sound there was another rustle behind them.

He turned just in time to see another man come up behind his mistress. He pointed his wand at the stranger but it was knocked from his hands. It was like everything slowed down. He could feel the chill to his bones and hear the wind in blowing the trees as though it were a storm. Hermione turned but too slow. The man behind her sent a gush of light from his wand and it struck true in the centre of her chest.

"No!" Rodolphus pulled in vain against the huge hands holding him back. Damn it! He was the Dark Lord's strongest why couldn't he break from their hold?

Hermione fell to the ground. Limp. Lifeless.

Rage - white hot blazed through his veins. With a roar he broke from the hold. He grabbed the bastard still standing over his mistress and plunged his fist into the werewolf's face. Again and again till his fists were bloody and his throat raw. But still he fought; letting the man drop he grabbed the next to come at him only to cry out when something struck at the back of his head. White light flashed before his eyes moments before everything went black. And he was in darkness.


	14. Chapter 14

__________________

Hermione woke in darkness. The ground was cold and hard under her back.

Where was she? Something in her mind prodded her to get up, that there was work to be done… But what?

Someone groaned nearby, the sound deep, masculine, pain-filled. Rodolphus!

Before she could think, Hermione pulled her wand from the harness on her arm and cast a lighting charm then threw it into the air. It hit and clung to the ceiling of what now seemed to be some kind of cave, lighting up the space.

"What are you doing, Mudblood!?" Draco rasped, pulling his wand and pointing it at the glowing orb. "If they see light they'll know we're here."

Lucius chose that moment to awaken and snatch his son's wand. He groaned and gripped his head as though the movement caused pain. "Considering that we were imprisoned here, I think we can assume that our presence is known."

"Then why didn't _you_ cast the charm? I've been sitting in the dark for an hour." The boy crossed his arms petulantly.

"We needed the rest," Hermione spoke up, climbing carefully to her feet.

Lucius nodded, somewhat reluctantly. "Indeed, the fact that we are even alive means that they are waiting for something. More then likely the half-breed wishes an audience with us before our death."

Hermione stretched her arms and walked around the cave slowly. She wished her head would stop spinning but at least her legs were stable. A pained groan made her spin on her heel and within seconds she was kneeling by her master's side.

"Merlin, Rodolphus," she rasped out ripping off a length of cloth from the bottom of her shirt and used it to soak some of the sweat from his tossing head. "What the hell did they do to him?"

He groaned again and shuddered as though he were in pain. Hermione bit hard into her lip to hold in her fearful sob. He was muttering something inaudible but at least he had stopped shuddering and Hermione continued to wipe his forehead and face.

She looked up and glared at the two Malfoys now kneeling on the other side of Rodolphus. "Tell me what happened."

The two men looked at one another for a long time before Draco finally spoke up. "He just went berserk after…ouch!" Lucius clapped his son's head with the back of his hand.

"Everyone was fighting, Lestrange just got lost in it," Lucius said to Hermione, but his eyes stayed on his son. "He forgot himself."

"Yeah, he just kept punching till he passed out." Draco flinched at his father's raised hand but relaxed a little when it simply rested on his shoulder.

__

Like a Warlord, Hermione thought as she continued to mop his brow_. Like a Champion… _"He needs water."

"Fine," Lucius said sardonically. "My son and I will just take a stroll down to the stream and bring back a pail full, shall we?"

Making an impatient sound Hermione pointed her wand at the ground near her and made a hole about the size of a punch bowl. "You'll have to excuse my pathetic Muggleborn skills," she said moments before she silently cast a summoning spell and drew a long stream of water between the two men's heads and filling the hole.

"Wicked," Draco breathed then coughed and corrected himself, the sneer returning to his face, "Wicked stupid, Granger. What are you just going to dunk his head in it?"

Lucius pulled his own wand and with a flick the earth Hermione had just removed to make the hole transfigured into a rather delicate looking clay cup. "I think that you'll find this preferable to what ever dunking method you had in mind."

"I'll dunk you," she muttered accepting the cup with a half smile and filling it before bringing it to her master's lips. "Drink, my lord," she cooed softly and breathed a sigh of relief when he parted his lips and took the water.

His hand covered hers and he slowly pushed the cup back. "Enough," he croaked, swallowing hard.

Hermione filled the cup and passed it to Lucius who drank before handing it to his son. But Hermione wasn't watching. At that moment, Rodolphus reached up to take her hand. He didn't grab or grip it; he simply held her small hand in his larger one and then at length brought her trembling fingers to his lips.

Something in her heart lunged and fluttered making her pant slightly as she looked down at the strong, masculine wizard she had fallen in love with. "Rodolphus," she spoke before she could control her words. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Never, my love." His words were so gruff, Hermione was sure that she was mistaken. But there was no mistaking the way he brushed his lips over each of her fingers.

His eyes were still closed, but the tenderness in his touch made her heart melt. All she could do was sit and breathe as the brutal man she loved brought her hand to his heart and held it there, firmly as though he would never let go.

She felt him relax, still holding her hand. "I hurt you," he muttered.

"It's in the past and forgiven," Hermione whispered, feeling both the Malfoy's eyes on her, but not caring.

"No," he gritted, shaking his head. "No, not forgiven. I'm a bad man, an evil man."

"Yes," she gave a watery laugh. "But you're my bad man."

"My wife…" His words slurred and his grip loosened. "I'll never leave you again… Never hurt you again… My wife…"

The air roared in her ears and for a moment Hermione was sure that the ground had vanished from beneath her. Everything seemed to drop. Rodolphus had lost consciousness again so she took back her hand, stood and backed away.

"Miss Granger." She could hear the smug tone in Lucius' voice. "You could hardly have thought he…"

"No, I didn't. I know my place." She cut him off too quickly, snatching back the cup and filling it before taking a long deep drink; enough to wash down the rock hard lump in her throat. "Alright, we have a job to do and he's not going to do anything but get killed."

Lucius nodded his agreement, still watching her closely. "What are you suggesting? Do you think that the half-br… Werewolves will accept a hostage swap?"

"No." Hermione walked towards the mouth of the cave. It was raining outside and there were forms standing very still. Guards? "But it's only possible to block Disapparating in a closed area. If you and Rodolphus could get outside the cave you'd be free."

Lucius' face turned a deep red. "Are you suggesting that I run away?" His voice was hushed, dangerously so making Hermione reach for her wand. "That I, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, flee like a coward!"

A roar sounded and shook the cave. It came from outside. "What the fuck!" Draco jumped behind his father's back then timidly stepped back to where he was; trying desperately to look unnerved.

Hermione and Lucius looked up and around, their conflict forgotten as they both peered out of the mouth of the cave.

The tall pureblood looked at Hermione, his eyes wide. "I guess he knows we're here."

So many emotions; too many rocked through her mind and seemed to be tearing at her chest. Fear, love, loss, but most of all disappointment; It was foolish to have hoped that Rodolphus would hold such feeling for her. She knew what he was and she knew all too well of his attachment to his wife. But still; she had hoped.

It would be so easy. She could just apparate out and leave these monsters to the wolves. They certainly deserved it.

Rodolphus groaned again and shuddered. His face pricked with sweat and he gave a pained whimper. He needed a Medi-witch.

"This mission was given to me. Not because I asked for it, but because your lord knew that whoever took it wouldn't be returning."

Another roar shook the ground beneath their feet. Lucius swallowed hard and Draco whimpered.

"Do you think your lord will thank you for allowing his head killer to die here?" Lucius' gaze flicked from Rodolphus and back to the mouth of the cave, something was coming closer, something big, and something powerful. "Do you think your wife would thank you for losing her brother-in-law? Do – Do you think his wife would?"

Lucius swore and swung back towards Rodolphus. "Wake up!" The wizard didn't stir.

Power surged around them. They were running out of time but Hermione knew that she was up. Making her move, she brought her wand to her temple and drew a long stream of silver from her mind and into the cup. She sealed it quickly and handed it to the pureblood, who looked at it suspiciously.

"Please, Lord Malfoy." Her voice was pleading, head bowed and the cup held out to him. "Take him back to his home, to his w-wife and take this to her. I don't think that she knows."

Lucius looked at the cup, at her, at Rodolphus and she knew that he understood what it was that she wanted. Reluctantly he took the cup and tucked it within his robes.

"This isn't running away," he muttered and she had the feeling that he was speaking to himself.

Hermione shook her head. "No, it's a last request for one who will fall for the mission." Licking her lips she spoke the next part faster. "And your son will have an amazing tale to share, a Malfoy aiding the death of Fenrir."

"Whoa, Whoa!" Draco skipped around his father. "What are you going on about now, Mudblood?"

But Hermione wasn't looking at him, she looked only at Lucius and him right back at her. A lingering moment passed before he gave a staunch nod.

"What!? Father! Wait…" Draco hopped from one foot to the other seeming to get more agitated by the second.

But Lucius wasn't looking at him. Without a word he pulled Rodolphus to his feet and wrapped his huge arm around his shoulders. Rodolphus stood, leaning heavily on his friend. He muttered something and stumbled at his side as Lucius lead him out of the cave.

"Father!"

Lucius didn't look back.

"Father!" Draco yelled louder.

He didn't turn.

"You can't just leave me here."

"You are a Malfoy and my son." Lucius didn't turn but his voice held an edge of threat that made the younger man stiffen. "Do not disgrace yourself."

~*~

A loud crack signaled that the two purebloods had successfully apparated back home, leaving Hermione and Draco perfectly still and watching the empty space.

After another moment Draco turned and began to pace. He clenched and unclenched his fists all the while muttering to himself. "Right, don't disgrace yourself. Yeah. I'm a Malfoy. I was trained for this… I - I'm ready to fight." Then stronger. "I'm ready to fight."

"You won't be fighting." Hermione slipped her wand back into the harness on her arm before picking up the cup and taking another drink.

"What!?" Draco suddenly burst out, growing impatient watching her act so calmly. "Well I'm not surrendering! A Malfoy never surrenders – never runs away."

She looked pointedly towards the door. "Yeah, I noticed that."

The pureblood pulled his wand so fast that Hermione stepped back before making herself hold her ground. "Shut your mouth, Mudblood," he growled, his lip curling. "You know nothing."

Swallowing hard she pushed away the shiver of danger awareness and instead went for an expression of disinterest as she turned away. "Fine, I know nothing. Feel better?"

"No, tell me what the fuck is going on."

"I thought I knew nothing." The curse hit the wall behind her and she decided not to goad him any more.

But before she could explain a large figure filled the cave entrance and another step brought the handsome, scarred face of Remus Lupin into the light. He threw something large, round and hairy onto the ground at Draco's feet. It landed with a sickening _thunk._

"You won't be fighting because Fenrir is already dead."

Relief washed through Hermione. She ran at her old professor and he in turn opened his arms wide to welcome her. "You're alive." Was all she could whimper as she buried her face against his broad chest, his brown cardigan scratchy against her nose. "I wasn't sure."

Remus wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her close, taking a few long deep breaths through her curls before resting his cheek against her forehead. "For a moment there, neither was I." He pulled back and held her at arms length. "But knowing you were here, what was at stake, brought out the alpha in me."

She couldn't help but smile up at him, all that familiar affection filling her heart all over again. "I'm going home." Those simple words were overwhelming. Harry, the twins, even Ron… Merlin, she'd missed them so much.

Remus' face turned serious and his hands tightened on her arms. "Nobody is ever going to hurt you again. I swear." He spoke with so much emotion, so much conviction that it brought tears to her eyes.

"You can't promise something like that." Her voice was harsh as she fought the urge to let her tears simply flow. Her mind shifted to Rodolphus. There were so many ways that a man could hurt a woman, and most of them weren't physical, sometimes they didn't even realize just how cruel they could be.

Remus didn't say anything as he watched the emotions shift across her face. He opened his mouth to say something but just then a high pitched scream echoed though the cave.

They both jumped and looked towards the white haired boy who seemed to have paled even further. He was pressed against the cave wall and staring wide eyed at the hairy thing on the ground. "It's a head!" He squeaked. "Fenrir's head. You-" he pointed accusingly at Hermione. "-And you." Then at Remus. "You planned this! And there's a head! A werewolf's head – on the ground." He looked from one to the other again, his eyes wild and his breathing coming in long, rough pulls. "A head!"


	15. Chapter 15

__________________

And here he was again. Smothering a deep all too tired sigh, Severus Snape leaned casually back against the wall of the dining room of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Any moment now order members would be skittering through the door on the far side of where he stood. He wasn't ready. For the first time in his very long life, he had no idea how he was supposed to word the news he had brought.

He heard the voices before Molly and Arthur entered. Severus forced himself to relax when the plump matriarch tugged him into an all too motherly hug and even managed a half smile and nod when she finally pulled away.

"I do worry about you Severus." She said sternly taking his hand and inspecting his fingernails. "Are you eating right?"

"Of course Molly."

"All your vegetables?" She gave him a piercing look, daring him to lie.

"Yes Molly, and I must ask if you are aware that I am forty-five years of age. Quite capable of looking after myself, now."

"Yes, indeed, uh…" Arthur threw him an apologetic smile. "Come on Molly-wobbles, leave the man in peace."

The rest of the Order filed through in small groups of two and three. Most of the older adults gave polite nods and words of greeting, most of the younger avoiding his eyes and heading straight for the large table. But he didn't miss the equally dark looks from the redheaded twins as they passed.

Dumbledore sat at the head of the table. As always he signalled for Severus to sit at his side and as always the Potion's Master refused with a stiff incline of his head.

Potter was the last to enter and Severus watched the boy with interest as he moved towards the table smiling warmly at the greeting Weasleys before sitting next to his oldest friend. He wondered briefly how the son of such a base and arrogant man would deal with the information that he was about to reveal. He also wondered how long it would take the boy to work out what this story was really about, or would Miss Granger be the one to enlighten him as she had in the past.

"Well." Dumbledore stood and sent meaningful looks around the order, keeping that 'connection' alive, as it were. "I believe that we are all here so there is no time like the present to enlighten us on your new information."

"Yeah, you've been awfully secretive." Bill chirped up.

"Even more so." One of the twins said darkly.

Choosing to ignore the insinuation, he pushed away from the wall. "I do indeed have news which you may find good or bad. I'm not sure which." He cleared his throat. "Miss Granger is alive."

A moment passed in silence and another before the room erupted with noise.

"What do you mean alive!?"

"You said you saw her die!"

"It must be a mistake."

"Where the bloody hell is she!?"

"How long have you known?" The last was eloquently spoken by Potter and Severus decided that this was as good a place as any to start.

"I've known for some time now." It wasn't exactly a lie. He held up his hand to pause the upcoming barrage. "I kept it to myself simply because I could see no point in placing more strain on you all then you already carry."

"What gives you the right to make that call, eh?" The other twin spat.

"For a long time I was unsure just what I was dealing with, what kind of situation. It wouldn't be the first time the Dark Lord has played such games to entertain those loyal to him." He took a long breath as he remembered the story. "It took me some time to find her and when I did I thought that maybe it would be too late."

"Were – Were they hurting her?" Ron spoke up, staring hard into the table.

"That's neither here nor there." Moody growled, slamming his hand into the table. "We have a bigger issue at hand here and you should all be less worried about the silly girl and more about your very lives and the safety of this compound."

Molly jumped to her feet. "How could you say such a thing!?" Her face flushed angrily. "That dear sweet girl is in trouble and it's our sworn duty to save her."

"We swore no such thing, why…!" He words drifted off when Dumbledore held up a single hand for silence.

"I think what we need is to calm down and let this information settle."

Moody nodded, gritting his teeth but spoke more calmly. "My point is that if the girl is alive then she must have bargained for it."

Tonks nodded vigorously. "Yes, the only way she's alive is that she must have betrayed the order."

"Shut up!" Harry was on his feet, wand out faster then a lightning strike.

"Harry!" Dumbledore spoke in his quiet yet authoritative voice. "Put your wand away and sit down."

"No!" He wasn't looking at the headmaster, only glaring at the pink haired witch. "You don't know her, you never knew her!"

"Harry, dear, please." Molly placed her hand on his arm but he shook it off.

"Don't touch me!" He backed away glaring around the table. "How dare you even suggest such a thing. She is the one person who has stood by me through everything, protecting me, teaching me to protect myself and asking the questions that I should have been asking but was too bloody scared or stupid to do so."

Molly stood up and moved towards him arms open. "Darling, nobodies saying…"

"And you," he said, his anger making his green eyes flash. "Do you really think that she didn't notice your utter relief when she and your son broke up? Wouldn't want to break that perfect pureblood line now would we?"

"Oh Merlin." Molly gasped, bringing her hand to her heart, her face stricken. "Harry, no. No that wasn't it at all. Oh…Oh…" Tears filled her huge hazel eyes and she muffled a sob in her apron.

"Come on now, Harry. That's enough." Arthur stood and pulled his wife into a tight hug. "You should know Molly better then that. Know us better."

"I don't know anything anymore." Harry looked away from the couple who had been the closest thing to parents he had ever known. A sliver of guilt ran down his spine but he shook it off. "I know nothing if you people can just turn your backs on Hermione. I've lost count of how many times she's saved my life. She was the first to hug me, the first to show me anything even close to love. The fact that you are even thinking of leaving her with those monsters makes me…" His words cut off sharply as his own tears blurred his vision and clogged his throat.

He didn't notice the sharp looks passing between Tonks, Moody, or Dumbledore. But Severus noticed and had to stifle the triumphant smile ticking at the corners of his mouth. If they wanted to control Harry they would need Hermione alive and well.

"If I may?" Severus drawled.

Dumbledore pasted on his most knowing and fatherly smile, motioning for Harry to sit again and Molly and Arthur to do the same. "But of course, Severus. Please tell us where she so that we can start planning her escape."

"Actually, she planned her own escape. When I did get to speak to the girl she was in mind that you would not be coming for her." His gaze slid smoothly to rest on Molly's tearful face. "But I think that she would be more then willing to listen and forgive."

The twins gave an almighty hoot and high-fived loudly. Molly sobbed but her expression was happy as she buried her face in her husband's shoulder. Harry was shaking his head a knowing smile on his lips.

"So where is she now? Are you sure that she doesn't need help?" Harry was already reaching for his wand.

"No, Miss Granger wished to spend her first night of freedom in a secret location. More then likely she simply wishes to sleep somewhere she knows for sure that she is safe, so she should be here tomorrow morning." Then to Tonks. "Lupin is with the girl and I'm sure that he will take good care of her."

It was Tonks' turn to jump out of her chair. "What!"

~*~

Back in his room, Harry felt something shift in his pocket. He reached in to find a small piece of parchment.

Potter. I was moderately impressed by your outburst. There is more that I feel you have earned the right to know.

The Leaky Cauldron 9pm.

S

Harry had no doubt as to who the "S" was. It had to be Severus. Checking his watch he saw that it was nearly 9 already.

Harry stepped through the large swinging doors of the Leaky Cauldron. A quick look around revealed that the potions master had not yet arrived so assuming that the man would want privacy he chose a table in the back corner and wainted.

It was a few minutes before Severus arrived and after a quick look around of his own, he moved towards Harry's table and sat. "Mr Potter."

"Professor."

"I believe that I owe you great thanks for keeping her safe." Harry spoke formally, not sure how to address his ex professor now that they seemed to be on the same side.

"As much as I would like to take credit for the girl's protection, I can not. That is a much longer story and one that I think she should be the one to share. No Mr Potter I am here to tell you the parts that I was unable to reveal to the Order. I'm sure that you understand that everything I say is in the strictest confidence?"

Harry nodded. "You have my word."

With a staunch nod, Severus began. "Nymphadora was not entirely wrong with what she suggested at the meeting." He held up a hand to halt the boy's interruption. "Miss Granger never once betrayed you or the Order and you know it. But she did indeed make a deal for her life."

Harry's mind drifted to his dream. "What was the deal?"

"It seems that the strength she showed against the dark army caught the attention and admiration of Rodolphus Lestrange." He allowed Potter to absorb the information then went on. "As a loyal and treasured follower of the Dark Lord, he requested boon and was rewarded."

"Did… Did he hurt her?"

Severus licked wet his lips and chose his words. "Yes, but it could have been a great deal worse if he was not the possessive man that he is. It is he that kept her safe from the other Death Eaters and he is the reason she is alive." He took a breath. "It was his moment of weakness that allowed Hermione to make her escape."

Harry was worrying his lower lip as his mind worked. "Did he… Did he…"

"No he did not rape her. He prefers the women in his bed to be willing."

"And…um…" Harry didn't know how to deal with what he was hearing, didn't know how to ask what he needed to ask.

"Yes, Potter. Miss Granger was willing. She made a vow to submit to him and kept to her word as she always does."

"I – I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that." Was it wrong for him to feel betrayed?

"I am not telling you this to hurt you, Potter or for you to condemn her."

"I wasn't _!"

"Yes you were. I am telling you this so that you understand why she may behave the way she does. She may be quieter, more thoughtful, more emotional. Miss Granger needs you now more then ever and I am telling you so that she doesn't have to and so that you are prepared for anything else that she may need to tell you, herself."

"Of course. I would never do anything to make this more difficult."

"I hope that you mean that. She has been through a great deal and I don't mean physically. She knows many truths that she should not and has seen much that she would rather to have not seen. She needs you now. She needs at least one friend who she can depend on to be loyal and trustworthy to the end."

"I can be that."

"Can you? It also involves your trust of her, unconditional trust and love. That is what she will need and it will be difficult at times. There is a great deal that she needs to do now and some of it will not make sense, much of it she will not be able to share with you. That is where the trust is involved."

Harry nodded and looked his old rival in the eye, hiding nothing. "I understand."

~*~

Not too far away the London lights lit brightly in the night sky. Above, the moon was waxing, almost full, just peaking between two fluffy dark clouds.

Hermione sat by the window of her little room. The soft evening breeze caressed her face and danced in her long curls, but she didn't feel it.

She was free. After months as a captive she was free. A single tear trailed down her cheek. The only word in her mind: Free.

"Hermione?" She turned at the sound of Remus' soft voice and smiled a little as he drew closer.

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came and needing none he pulled her gently into his arms. And the sobs came. Hard and forceful they shook her entire body. He didn't let go, didn't offer words of courage or sympathy, he simply held her tighter, wrapping his arms around her, one around her shoulders and the other around her waist.

And she cried.


	16. Chapter 16

__________________

The smell of dust and dank filled his nostrils and he slowly opened his eyes. They felt stuck together but with effort he managed to part his lids to the thick, murky darkness. Rodolphus blinked and again until his eyes adjusted to the lack of light. He could just make out the forms of various pieces of torture equipment.

His arms were pulled high and secured with some kind of magical chains and his memories came in slow motion flashes the ache in his arms seeming to make the flickers clearer.

The fight.

He inhaled sharply as he watched Hermione fall after being struck by a hex and roared; his rage as hot and intense as it was then.

Waking to her voice. He couldn't see her but he could feel her hand stroking his face, so loving and tender with the pads of her soft fingers. His relief could have been a solid form of its own and the emotions rushing through his large body had almost made him sob like an infant.

His arms ached again and he knew why he had been chained in this dungeon. He had been barely conscious at the time; in fact it had been Lucius' call… He heard the other man groan as he too awakened and Rodolphus grinned; at least he wasn't taking all the blame.

~*~

Hermione bubbled with mixed emotions. One moment she felt as though she might just burst with her excitement at seeing Harry again, the next she had to fight not to beg Remus to take them back to the Leaky Cauldron. Her Gryffindor courage won of course, and she gripped Remus' hand a little tighter as they stepped into the apparition port.

"Are you ready?" He stroked a loose curl from her face.

"I am. Take me to Harry."

He nodded, wrapped his arm around her waist, and then pulled back. "You know, Hermione, this war is bigger then any one of us."

"I know that." She tried to smile.

"Yes, you do. You always were a clever witch always ahead of the others."

Hermione looked away, her cheeks flushing. She had never quite gotten used to compliments and never knew quite how to handle them.

He watched her closely for another moment. "You mustn't be angry with them, Hermione."

Such a simple sentence, innocent to another passing by but Hermione froze. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she forced herself to meet his gaze. "What do you mean?"

"I think that you know exactly what I mean." There was a dark edge to his voice and his expression was unreadable, blank on purpose. "I don't agree with what they did, but you must know as well as I that they did what they did for the sake of the war. For the greater good."

For a moment the world seemed to fall away and the air roared in her ears.

Her words clogged in her throat and her airway seemed to close up leaving her gasping for breath as he wrapped his arms around her and Disapparated them. Her eyes wouldn't close even when she could feel the sting of the air. Her mouth fell wide in her attempt to suck in more air. The pain in her chest made the Muggleborn feel light-headed.

They apparated on the doorstep of Grimmauld Place and everything happened so fast. The door flew open and they were dragged inside. She pulled away from Remus only to be engulfed in a hug by two sets of freckled arms.

Fred and George's words filled her ears but her gaze remained on Remus.

"Missed you."

"Thought you were dead."

"So glad you're back."

Others were drawn by the commotion and soon they were surrounded. Everything was so loud. Everyone talking, everyone touching till the room started to tilt and spin. A shock of pink hair ran past her and the world stopped as Hermione watched the Tonks throw herself into Remus' arms.

No. The witch was always forcing herself on him, this is no different… Remus laughed and grabbed Tonks, he spun her around and kissed her. Kissed her on the mouth. Kissed her like a lover.

Shaking her head she backed away, her vision blurring and he lower lip trembling. No! No, no, no, no. Not Remus. He couldn't be with them. His words rang loud and deafening in her ears drowning out the concerned voices surrounding her.

"For the greater good."

Not Remus, not her kind, thoughtful, intelligent professor.

"It was for the best… The war is bigger then any one of us…"

He couldn't be with them. He wouldn't.

She watched him lean down to whisper into Tonk's ear and the world lurched.

"Hermione, dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Weasley was at her side. "You've gone quite pale."

She looked into Molly's eyes and could have cried at the honest concern she saw there. Tonks giggled somewhere out of sight and Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth. "I'm going to be sick," she managed and ran from the room, up the stairs and into the nearest bathroom.

Making it just in time, Hermione flung open the door to the bathroom and slammed it shut behind her. She dropped to her knees, hands gripping the bowl and retched. Tears streaked her face and dripped from her chin and she sobbed and retched again.

"Hermione?" Harry called through the door. "Hermione I'm coming in."

She heard the door open behind her and close quietly. "Oh, Harry, I don't want you to see me like this."

He gave a breathless laugh that made her turn slightly to look at him. "What, alive? Breathing? Talking?"

He looked thin; thinner then she remembered there were bags under his eyes. Her heart ached at the sight of him and another sob brought on another bought of nausea. "Oh Merlin." She swung back so her face was over the bowl again and let the waves of nausea wash over her.

Before she could tell him to stop, Harry knelt at her side and pulled her hair back. He held her hair in a make shift pony tale with one hand while his other rubbed her back. "And look at this." He gave another slightly delirious giggle. "You're puking, but alive and puking."

Despite everything she laughed. "This isn't much of a hello, is it?"

He maneuvered so that he was sitting side on to her back, still holding her hair. "Do you remember how I told you about when I was eleven and being hidden away by the Dursleys?"

"I remember," she managed another heave making her cough.

"Well I thought that I was going to be trapped with them forever, they'd ignored my birthday again and I knew that I was going to be alone and unloved for the rest of my life."

"I don't mean to sound insensitive, Harry, but you've told me this before, and it all worked out fine. Hagrid found you, blew down the door and said, "Ello 'arry,"" she finished with a rather bad impersonation of the half-giant.

"Yeah, well that was the best hello I've ever had; till this one. This one was about a thousand times better."

"Don't tell me, you lost your mind while I was gone." She straightened feeling better. "I think I'm alright now. I'm glad I didn't eat much for breakfast."

Harry stood up beside her. "Yeah me too – Ouch!" She slugged his arm.

A quick cleansing charm made her mouth feel fresher. "Well I guess we should go back out there."

"Not yet," Harry said gruffly before pulling her into his arms and engulfing her in them. "I missed you."

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she hugged him right back. "I missed you too. Every day."

She leaned her head against his shoulder and took a long shuddering breath. Reality was seeping back in. "Oh Merlin, Harry, I have so much I have to tell you." So much to conceal. "There is more to this war then you know, then I knew or ever could have guessed."

They were interrupted by a light rapping on the door. "Hermione, dear, are you feeling better?" Molly's voice sounded through the door and both Hermione and Harry knew that it was time to rejoin the Order. She felt her heart sink in her chest. Her moment of escape was over.

Who were these people? Hermione looked around at the other Order members. Not so long ago they had been her friends and she would have sworn under Veritaserum potion that she could trust them with her life…but not any more. Now she saw strangers, shadows in every face, a menacing edge to every smile.

She sat back trying as hard as she could to fade into her chair as the Order meeting went on around her. So far it seemed to have worked. Every now and then Fred and George would give her a smile or a salute-come-wave and Molly kept looking at her, long thoughtful looks. Hermione felt uncomfortable under the matriarchs gaze, but at least nobody was making her talk.

"Miss Granger." Dumbledore's voice broke into her thoughts. "May I be the first-" he flicked a knowing smile at Harry. "-or perhaps the second to welcome you back."

Hermione swallowed hard and forced herself to meet his eyes. No matter what, he couldn't know the secrets she held. To be honest she wasn't sure just how much danger she was in but something told her that it would be very bad to back Albus into a corner. "Thank you, Professor," she managed to croak out. "It's good to be back."

"Well you must have information for us, girl!" Moody thumped his cane on the hard wood floor. "You were there for at least two months."

"Alistair!" Molly cried, outraged.

"Come on now, Moody."

"The girl has been through a great deal," Kingsley said sternly. "She at least deserves a little time to recover."

"But who knows how long that could take!" Tonks threw her hands into the air. "She might have forgotten something by that time."

"Easy on, Tonks," Fred returned.

Then George added, "Yeah, this is Granger we're talking about, she doesn't forget anything."

"And we mean anything," Fred emphasized.

"This is not some school ground game!" Moody bellowed but his moment was quickly stolen when Hermione felt an unstoppable bubble of laughter climb up her throat.

The other Order members turned to look, some of their expressions growing fearful at the sound of her almost hysterical laugh. "Exactly what is it that you'd like to know, Mad-Eye?" she said, her voice quiet but audible. Something dark was creeping through her veins. "Exactly how much information were you expecting a Mudblood captive to procure?" Not much since you sent me there to die! Her mind screamed but she did not say the words.

Tonks huffed loudly. "Well you must have learned something, overheard conversations? You must have snuck into their library at least once and…"

Hermione laughed again; loud and shrill. 'You stupid bitch,' she thought, having to use all her self control to stop the words spilling forth. "Well, I can tell you how Lucius Malfoy's knife felt against my flesh. Icy cold and so sharp I was afraid that he could have sliced me and I wouldn't have felt a thing; till I bled to death, of course." I'll make you pay for your petulance. "Or maybe you'd like to know what it feels like to have Voldermort probing your mind?" She sneered around the table no longer caring which side they were on. They were all Dumbledore's loyal followers to the end and Hermione had learned the hard way that nobody would change their loyalties to their leader; not for her.

"Hermione, dear, maybe you should go lay down. We can talk later."

"Yeah." She took a calming breath but it did nothing for her shaking hands. "Or maybe I should simply tell them what they want to know."

"I understand how difficult this is for you, Miss Granger." Dumbledore spoke quietly.

Oh I bet you do, Headmaster. Hermione nodded and stared hard at the table. Maybe she couldn't reveal everything, she needed to wait, to bide her time till She knew more, but when it all came out she wanted everyone to know what had been done to her.

She opened her mouth to talk. Closed it again, opened, and closed. "I – I don't know much. I wanted to learn as much as I could in the chance that…" That you'd rescue me!! "That I'd get out. But they must have known that I'd think that way. I was allowed time in a library, but there was nothing of consequence, nothing that we could use and I… I was kept busy during the moments when I may have been able to search for information."

"Busy how!?" Tonks gave her an incredulous look.

"They…"

"Spit it out, girl!" Moody bellowed.

"They gave me to Rodolphus Lestrange."

Molly cried out, slapping her hand over her mouth. Fred and George shared a dark look. Harry looked down at his hands. The rest of the table went very quiet.

~*~

It was midnight when Hermione woke to the feeling that she was not alone. Keeping her eyes closed she reached slowly under her pillow and grasped her wand.

"You won't need that." Molly's voice said quietly and a dim light lit up the room just enough to allow them to see one another.

"Molly? What are you doing here?" Hermione looked closely at the woman sitting in the chair near her bed. "Is something wrong? Harry?"

"No nothing like that." Molly wiped exasperatedly at the tears that had obviously been falling for a while now.

"Molly, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"

She watched with growing concern as the woman began to sob. Covering her face with her hands, the woman shuddered, shoulders slumped. "I'm an awful woman. A - A terrible person. You must hate me and you have every right."

Hermione lunged out of bed and dropped to Molly's side. She took her hand and brought it quickly to her cheek. "No! Of course I don't hate you. What happened to me wasn't your fault, you must know that."

"Not that," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I took away your trust and your hope. I made you feel like less then the wonderful girl that you are. You have every right to think me a bigot."

"A bigot?" Realization dawned. "You're talking about me and Ron."

Molly sobbed and nodded. "I never knew that you saw my reaction the way you did. But I should have and I didn't and you thought that…" She couldn't finish. Another shuddering sob tore through her plump body and Hermione's heart broke.

"Molly. Oh Merlin, Molly, no." Hermione looked closely at the older woman, the mother of her old boyfriend.

"He's my youngest boy, you see. Still a baby in my eyes. And you two were getting so close and there was talk of wedding bells. But he's my baby." She sobbed again.

Tears pricked Hermione's eyes as she listened. Molly's emotional confession touched her more deeply then any other. "I know, Molly."

Molly looked up sharply. "You do?" She hic-coughed.

Hermione nodded, wiping her own tears and holding Molly's hand more firmly. "I knew that I was wrong the moment I came back. The moment I looked into your eyes." She brought the matriarch's hand to her cheek again. "It's me who wronged you Molly. I should have known better, you are nothing like them. Will you forgive me?"

"In a heartbeat." Molly yanked her closer and enveloped her in an almost suffocating hug


	17. Chapter 17

__________________

Moonlight filtered through the small window illuminating the gloomy dungeon and the two men hanging by their wrists from an unseen hook.

Rodolphus' broad, muscular back was shiny with sweat and heavily scared. His head hung and his long burgundy hair fell like a curtain around his face. Lucius at his side was breathing hard, his own hair shining in the milky light.

The whip snapped and lashed against Rodolphus' broad back leaving a long angry red mark. Rodolphus gritted his teeth, a low, ragged groan all he would allow the bastard behind him. He heard the swish again and readied himself for the strike. His mouth fell wide in sharp pain but again he did not cry out.

Those bloody fools. He was well versed in the art of taking beatings and it would take more then a simple whip to break him. Another strike and he saw stars but he quickly shook it off. Still the strikes came, another and another until his consciousness faded and he slipped easily into peaceful oblivion. Far from broken.

~*~

Belatrix sat alone in her rooms. The crudely made container held a silvery liquid that she recognized as a memory. But of what? There could only be one reason that her husband's whore would send her a pensive. She was sure that it must be some sordid sexual exploit, one last stab from the escaped prisoner. Still, the woman turned the container in her hands.

With a frustrated cry, she pulled it back to throw it against the wall, forever destroying its contents. But she stopped short. There was a masochistic part of her that needed to know what it was that drew Rodolphus to the mudblood night after night.

Finally she opened it and poured the liquid into a bowl. She took a deep breath and another and with one last exhale dipped into the memory.

_"Rodolphus." His whore simpered at his side. "I thought I'd lost you."_

_"Never, my love." _

His words were so gruff, Belatrix gritted her teeth against what he was saying but there was no mistaking the way he brushed his lips over each of the Mudblood's fingers.

_His eyes were still closed, but there was tenderness in his touch. _

All she could do was sit and breath as her brutal husband brought his whore's hand to his heart and held it there, firmly as though he would never let go.

_He relaxed, still holding her hand. "I hurt you." He muttered._

_"It's in the past and forgiven," she whispered._

_"No," He gritted, shaking his head. "No, not forgiven. I'm a bad man, an evil man."_

_"Yes," she gave a watery laugh. "But you're my bad man." _

_"My wife…" His words slurred and his grip loosened. "I'll never leave you again… Never hurt you again… My wife…"_

Belatrix yanked herself from the pensive and backed away. He had been talking to her. Not his whore, her. For the first time since she was a teenager she felt her eyes prick and a lump rise in her throat. All these years. She knew that he enjoyed her, they had been a smart match, set up by their parents back when they were barely old enough to know what marriage was, but…

One, elegant hand moved up to cover her mouth. Why would his whore send her this? Why would a woman obviously infatuated with the man go out of her way to see that he made up with his wife? That kind of selflessness wasn't possible. Bella herself knew that were the roles reversed she would be dead right now…

Her door flew open and the Dark Lord entered. Magic crackled around him, his anger so thick she could have sliced it with her wand.

"My Lord." She stood and dropped to her knees, bowing her head in submission. "Forgive me, I wasn't expecting you tonight."

He laid a single hand on her shoulder. "Do not make yourself uneasy, my pet." He hissed softly.

He bid her to stand and she obeyed immediately. As he watched she slowly began to unbutton her robe. "Stop!" He ordered. "I have not come here to seek release. I hear that Lucius brought you a gift from the mission."

"Oh," she murmured, her fingers flexing around the container. Something warned her to conceal it, but before she could move the powerful wizard plucked it from her fingers.

"May I?" He waved a hand at the pensive.

"Of course, my lord. I have no secrets from you."

She watched as he viewed the memory and lowered her head when he pulled out.

"Who made this?"

"His pet." She said thickly but when she looked up he was gone.

~*~

Rodolphus woke abruptly, suddenly soaking wet and freezing cold. Breathing hard he glared up at the wizard grinning down at him, a bucket in his hands.

"What the fuck was that for!?" He roared.

"The Dark Lord wishes you awake." Yaxley sneered and stepped aside to reveal the tall, snakelike wizard.

Rodolphus bowed his head as best he could while still bound. "I apologize, my lord."

"That is quite alight, Rodolphus." The dark lord hissed. "I have come with questions about your mission."

"I have told you everything that I remember, my lord. We were ambushed…"

"No, no. Not that, I understand that and as I hear you have been dually punished for your blunder."

Rodolphus said nothing.

"I have come with an odd sort of gift that your boon sent to your wife before you allowed her to escape."

"My lord, I didn't allow…"

"Silence!" He bellowed. "She escaped while you were supposed to be guarding. But again this is not the issue that concerns me." The Dark Lord produced the clay container. "Do you recognize this?"

"No." Rodolphus shook his head.

"That is the pensive that the Mudblood made." Lucius rasped. "I'm sorry, I saw no harm in the gesture, my lord."

"Thank you, Lucius." The Dark Lord hissed. He flicked his hand and two wizards moved to free the white haired wizard.

Narcissa ran to his side and wound his arm around her shoulders. "Come, my husband." She cooed softly and they slowly made their way up the stairs.

Rodolphus watched them go and something sharp shot through his chest. The way Lucius leaned on his wife, the way she held his weight and lent him some of her strength. As cruel and cold as Lucius seemed, it had always been obvious that the two loved one another.

"Rodolphus!" The Dark Lord rasped then when he was sure that he had the bound wizard's attention, "Miss Hermione Granger was a very important captive."

"Yes, my lord." Rodolphus replied.

"You requested the girl as boon and being such a loyal son of one of my old companions, I granted your will."

"You did, my lord."

"Do you know why?"

Rodolphus looked up sharply. "You told me why – My lord."

"Oh please, Lestrange, you didn't really think that granting your wish was my only intention?"

He bowed his head again. "Of course not."

"She is the, oh so very good, voice of conscience behind the boy. He needs her, he leans on her and she guides him on the path of good and righteousness."

Rodolphus nodded, not knowing what to say. The wizard was telling him things that he already knew.

"And I gave her to you. My most deadly assassin, you are a very powerful dark wizard. If anyone could taint and deviate such a powerful witch, if anyone could seduce her to the dark arts it should have been YOU!"

"I did taint her, my lord!" Rodolphus gasped. "I taught her many of the arts of dark magic and in my bed she embraced the most forbidden lusts to a woman such as her. By the end she _"

"Loved you." The Dark Lord spoke darkly. "You stupid fool."

Realization dawned swiftly as did the wave of molten fear. "My lord, you must forgive me. I didn't think. I saw her growing devotion as a way to get to her, to turn her…"

"Yes, I see what you did, Lestrange," he hissed and paced the hard floor. "You saw her perfect heart as a way in to her soul."

"Yes, my lord."

"No, Rodolphus. What you have done is show me exactly what kind of incompetent idiot you are. You have shown that nothing was learnt after my final days, you have not seen the power that boy and his mudblood mother wielded. In fact one could believe that you were attempting to wield it yourself."

"No! No, my lord," Rodolphus rasped. "I swear I seek only to serve you. I was foolish and stupid, but please never doubt my loyalty."

The snake-like wizard searched the bound man's face and after another moment nodded. "I believe you." He pulled the container that he'd taken from Belatrix from his robes again. "But I must say, this is very interesting."

"I have not seen it." Rodolphus looked curiously at the crudely made thing.

"Your pretty little pet made it for your wife. It's a memory of your last words spoken before she escaped."

"I don't remember. I was barely conscious."

"Yes you were, so it was no surprise that you would mistake the mudblood whore for your wife." He watched the shock drain all the color from Rodolphus' face. "That's right, your last words were those of devotion and love for your ever delightful Belatrix. The poor chit was heartbroken, but then tact never was your strong point."

Rodolphus let his head fall forwards. His breath exhaled out in one long gust and for a moment he felt as though his heart and soul had poured out with it.

"And do you know what she did? This girl you claim to have tainted so utterly?"

"No."

"She made this, for your wife. She made this so that your wife would know that in your last moments you thought only of her. The young Miss Granger decided that if she could not have you, then she wanted you to at least be loved by the woman you love."

"I – I don't know what that means."

"Why, Mister Lestrange it simply means that a very powerful witch, in the grips of what we have found to be a very powerful emotion, sacrificed her heart – for you." He raised his hand when Rodolphus moved to speak. "Never fear, my boy. I have news that the silly child has ventured from the compound again. Belatrix and Yaxley both accepted the task of ending the girl's life as slowly and painfully as they possibly could."

It took a long time for his master's words to filter into his pain addled brain. The Dark Lord was long gone and Rodolphus assumes that so were his assassins.

"Hermione…" He rasped the word and his mouth fell open in a silent scream as pain shot through his chest. No, she couldn't die. Not his woman, not his Hermione.

He looked up at the bindings. A magical black cord held him secure but he pulled all the same. He yanked and pulled and swung trying to use his body weight to break the binding. It couldn't end this way. He would not allow it. He pulled and roared in frustration a fresh sheen of sweat covering his naked torso.

Someone stepped out of the shadows and Rodolphus turned his dangerous gaze on him until Rabastan entered the moonlight.

"Rabastan?" Rodolphus squinted trying to see the trick.

"It is me, brother."

"Why are you here?" He growled, pulling harder at the binding. He roared and grappled some more but it was no good. Finally he simply let his body go lip, his arms a world of pain.

Rabastan circled around him, his face expressionless. "Do you love her?"

Rodolphus looked up sharply. "What are you talking about? Who?"

"You know who."

He dropped his head in defeat. A new wretchedness wormed his way into his mind and soul. He never expected his end to come at the hands of his brother but as his mind absorbed the facts he realized that if this was his time then so be it. He was glad that it was his brother, no other was worthy of the task.

"Do it, just make it quick." He said his throat constricting then glared when his brother laughed.

"Always so dramatic, Rodolphus." Rabastan pulled his wand and pointed it at the bindings. He murmured a spell and suddenly the large wizard was free.

He fell to the floor with a hard !THUD! Then slowly looked up at the man standing over him. Rabastan offered his hand and Rodolphus took it. "Brother, I joined the Dark Army because you asked it of me." He pulled him to his feet. "Everything I've done, I have done for you."

Breathing hard, Rodolphus clapped both hands on either side of his brother's face. "And I, you. I bound us to the Dark Lord to protect you, stayed on long after I had lost faith because I didn't want you to take my punishment." He shook his head. "I have to save her… She's…"

"She holds your heart and soul." Rabastan finished for him.

"I've failed you." Rodolphus dropped to his knees before Rabastan and for the first time felt a heart wrenching sob rise in his throat.

The other man dropped to his knees with him, clasped Rodolphus' hands in his own and pulled them to his chest. Rodolphus looked up at his brother and felt the man's heart thumping beneath his chest.

"It beats because of you, Rudy." He said gruffly. "Now it's my turn."

~*~

Sneaking out of Grimmauld Place had been a task indeed. But when you had a set of crafty twins on your side, things always seemed to fall into place.

"Are you sure that you don't want us to come with you, Granger?" Fred asked, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I am. I told you that I would have to do some things that you might not understand, that you couldn't be involved in." They both nodded. "I can't get you two in trouble, I love you both too much."

"But…" She cut off George's objection with a dark look. "Alright, but just don't go dying on us again."

"I'll try."

Out in the cool air she lit her wand and held it out over the road then jumped back when the Night-Bus appeared with a loud !POP! She climbed on, smiling at Stan who was looking her over wide-eyed.

"I'd heard you was dead." He said, scratching his chin and looking at her more closely.

"You could say that the news of my death was greatly exaggerated." She gave him a toothy grin.

"What eva." He signaled for her to go take a seat and she rolled her eyes and did as she was bid. "Where to?"

Hermione gave him the address of the secret back entrance to the Ministry of Magic, omitting the part about the secret entrance of course. She sat back in the comfortable arm chair and felt her eyes flutter closed, she had been so tired lately.

It would be a long trip, she had at least an hour. She shifted to make herself more comfortable and felt herself doze, completely unaware of the two dark figures looming unseen but oh so close.


	18. Chapter 18

__________________

"We told you!" Fred yelled red faced at the circle of, so called, family and friends.

"We don't know where she went." George spoke more quietly.

"Well she wouldn't just leave without talking to any one." Molly looked from one to the other.

Moody grunted and sat heavily in the leather arm chair. "We warned ye," he said darkly.

"She's working for them now!" Tonks hissed turning sharply at the way Remus touched her arm.

"Come on, Dora, we don't know that."

"We know enough," she almost screeched.

"Enough!" Dumbledore projected and looked sternly at each of the members. "Now lets all just calm down. What do we know?"

"We know that Hermione is gone; snuck out in the middle of the night." Tonks stood straighter her lips twitching in a smug little smile.

"Too right," Moody added gruffly. "No-one sneaks out of a safe zone without telling no-one unless she's up to something wicked."

"She's a spy!" Tonks pushed Remus away. "She was with the other side for months, she even lay with one of the death eaters."

"She had no choice!" Remus gave an exasperated sigh. "She's Muggleborn why would she ever join an army set to wipe out her kind?"

"Well she's not the same girl she was when she disappeared!" Tonks said haughtily. "She hides out in that room, doesn't talk to anyone except Severus and all he does is glare at us all."

Remus shut his eyes tight and shoved back another wave of guilt. That was mainly his fault. He thought that he had been helping by asking her to forgive those that may have seemed to have betrayed her, instead he had firmly placed himself on their side, leaving her alone in her fear and pain. Severus had made this very clear to him and they had not spoken since; something else that he didn't like thinking about.

"We're going to have to face the facts." Moody spoke up. "She's been tainted by the darkness there's no doubting that. Look at the way she dresses now, all those little skirts and tight jeans and low cut blousy things. The girl has gone from swot to whore in…"

"Shut up!" Fred and George roared together.

Moody chuckled darkly. "And she's using it to manipulate us all, to get the information that she didn't have when they first took her."

"She's not a spy!" Fred rasped his face red as he looked at his brother and they shared that deep twin connection and agreed. "She's going to the Department of Mysteries."

"Ah-Ha!"

"Moody, Please." Dumbledore hushed the other man and gave the twins a piercing look. "Why would she go there?"

"We're not supposed to tell you," George said.

"It's a surprise, you see." Fred added.

"And she's not sure that it would work."

"And didn't want Harry to be disappointed if it didn't."

Molly's face darkened. "You let her go out alone after everything that happened to get Harry a present!"

"It's not just a present!" Fred yelled back.

"And she's much stronger then you think." George added.

Tonks and Moody exchanged a dark look.

~*~

Hermione slipped along the wall to the telephone box. Thankfully this particular street was quiet but the sounds of rivalry nearby told her that it would not be for long. She lifted the phone pressed the required code and let out a long held breath as the floor lowered.

She didn't see the large pureblood and his brother watching from the shadow. Rodolphus and Rabastan stepped into the lamplight and watched at the telephone box returned to its normal state.

"Honestly, brother, I don't understand why you do not simply claim her and be done with it." Rabastan drawled, looking towards the drunken yells from the nearby pub. "We could be in Paris within moments and finished with this whole affair."

"Do you really believe that the Dark Lord will not find us, wherever we go?" He looked at his brother pointedly. "No, my sweet girl has a plan and the mind to make it work; we would do best to watch her. I have no doubt that her move will be spectacular."

~*~

"My lord." Goyle half strode half ran into the gallery tripping over his own feet. "He's escaped."

Voldermort jumped to his feet striding with dangerous speed towards the younger man. "Who?" His voice was a harsh whisper but audible to everyone in the expansive space.

"Rodolphus, my lord. He's gone, chains left hanging."

"Unlocked?"

"Yes, my lord."

Voldermort turned in a circle looking at his followers who in turn each watched him with fearful eyes. "Someone helped him to escape." A long dangerous hiss left his lips. "Bring me his brother."

Minutes passed and two death eaters ran in huffing but stopping a good distance back from their fuming master. "He's not in his room, my lord." The first spoke.

"We looked around the mansion and questioned the house elves, they have not seen him."

Voldermort paced and stopped, thinking as he sniffed the air around him, sucking in the fear and indignation of his followers. "Then Rodolphus has gone to rescue his whore."

He turning on his heel and strode up to his throne then turned sharply to address those still loyal. "Lucius Malfoy took his punishment like the strong and loyal wizard that I have always known him to be." He nodded his approval at Lucius who dropped to his knees and bowed his head in submission. "But another has run from our home, from his people to save the life of a mudblood!"

"Kill him!"

"Slaughter the betrayer!"

"And his whore!"

Voldermort grinned, happy with his bloodthirsty followers. "Will this betrayal go without retaliation?"

"No!" The yells were louder then before as more members joined the crowd, summoned not by the mark but by his rage.

Slowly the words built into a chant, quiet and hushed but getting louder. "Kill them, kill them, kill them."

Voldermort walked down into the crowd and stood in the middle, arms outstretched. He closed his eyes and drink in the energy. Magic, power, hate, it all flowed through his long, hairless body and slithered through his veins. The feeling was unimaginable and he roared in his pleasure the sound shuddering the foundations of the manor till the floor below them split.

~*~

The Order were sitting in solemn silence over uneaten dinner when Severus exploded into the dining room, sweating and breathing hard. "Miss Granger – Rodolphus escaped – Dark army…" He swore viciously bending over to catch his breath and glaring around the table at the gorking, so called, light army. "Bloody hell, they're going to kill her. The dark army is going after her and they will kill her! We have to go, we have to fight."

The group looked around at each other no one sure what to say or what to do. It was Harry who stood first. "Let's go." He pulled his wand and moved to stand beside Snape. They shared a quick nod before looking at the rest of the group.

"Now wait." Dumbledore stood. "We are unprepared for a war, we don't have the man power or the timing to stage this."

"Are we all to die for the sake of her?" Tonks screeched.

"I will," Fred spoke loudly and jumped to his feet.

"And me!" George was next.

Bill and Charlie stood together. "We're in."

"I'm at your side, Harry." Remus jumped to his feet, yanking his arm from Tonks leach-like grasp.

Moody grunted. "You whelps against a dark army? Useless, you'll die for nothing."

Harry spoke up. "I am Harry Potter, the one who Tom Riddle marked as his equal, the boy who lived." The argument stopped there and even Dumbledore looked impressed. "If the army is there then so is he, there will never be a more perfect time."

"No!" Dumbledore bellowed. "You are not yet prepared to face a wizard of his power."

"I have faced him before."

"You got lucky those times, boy." Moody said gruffly.

"Yes I did." Harry responded. "But I will never be ready to face him, there is no preparation that can prepare me for Voldermort. But we are supposed to be the army of the light, what better cause to go to war then to save the life of our friend. As long as we fight for what's right we will never lose, not even death can take away that victory or bravery."

He looked at Snape to see him looking right back at him with something close to awe.

"Your eyes…" The potion master murmured and then nodded. "We must fight tonight."

"Severus!" Dumbledore questioned.

"It's time," Snape responded and the two shared a long meaningful look before Dumbledore finally nodded.

~*~

Completely unaware of the turmoil brewing around her, Hermione chanted, waving her wand in intricate patterns her power building circling and crackling. She had removed all distractions and placed her bag and coat on the floor a small distance away. Now all she wore was a simple white robe much like the one Rodolphus had gifted her.

In the Chamber of Death she knelt before the veil, something resembling a storm cloud forming and rumbling above. Lightning flashed but she didn't notice, wind from nowhere whipped her hair around her face and the chamber seemed to shake under the magic being utilized.

Her chanting got louder as her power grew and finally a solid form appeared behind the veil. A ray of light burst through and another and another, seeming to make a hole in the flimsy cloth that had now pulled taunt.

Hermione chanted faster, louder feeling her magic streaming, burning through her veins till a large human form was literally thrown out and onto the cold stone floor and Hermione collapsed, barely conscious.

She opened her eyes to see a blurry form of a man lying nearby. He wasn't moving. "S – Sirius?" She croaked. There was no answer.

Summoning the last of her strength she crawled over to where he lay and pressed her ear against his chest. His heart beat was dangerously slow and she couldn't feel him breathing. Placing her cheek over his mouth she couldn't feel his breath. Well, he was alive. Wracking her brain she quickly loosened his robe then held his nose, tipped his head back slightly and blew a long puff of air into his lungs.

It took five aided breaths before he suddenly coughed and groaned, rolling onto his side. At length he sat up and looked around. "Wh – What happened? Did we win?"

The bubbling laughter from the woman beside him drew his attention. "Only you could ask that question now. How much do you remember?"

"We were fighting those bloody death eaters and winning too then… I think I got hit." He looked at her suddenly panting. "Am I dead? Look luv if you're an angel you need to get me back, I don't care how, but there is a boy down there who needs me."

"You think I'm an angel?" She smiled shyly before shaking her self back. "You're not dead, Sirius. We didn't win but Harry is alive and the war is not over. Don't you recognize me?"

He looked at her more closely his eyes widening slightly as his gaze dropped to her simple robe and the way her breasts pushed against the sleeveless bodice and the way the bottom cut at mid-thigh.

"I'm up here, Sirius." She pointed to her eyes and Sirius fell back when his gaze met hers.

"Herm…" He crawled a few paces backwards giving her another quick up and down. "How long was I out?"

She let out a long breath and tried hard to pick her words. "You were hit with a stasis charm and sent into the Veil of Death. We all thought… Or we would have…"

"How long Hermione?" His voice was hushed with a dangerous kind of calm that Hermione had heard from another many times and shuddered; not quite with fear.

"Five years." She managed but before he could react the chamber was suddenly full of noise and movement.

As one Sirius and Hermione jumped to their feet and drew their wands. Around them the circle was wide but there was no mistaking the numbers, a hundred Death Eaters at least, masked and ready to fight surrounded them.

"Oh dear," she said quietly.

"Oh dear!" Sirius snapped. "You have backup coming right?" No response. "Right!?"

"Well, I didn't think there would be so many." She gave him a sheepish smile which he returned with open jawed blankness.

Sirius turned in a quick tight circle, his wand held firmly at his side. "Well come on Know-it-all, what do we do now?"

The word outnumbered was an extreme understatement but Hermione felt only calm as she turned looking around at the army slowly closing in on them. "How did you dream your last moments to be, Mr. Black?"

"Well if you must know I visualized four Veala and a bottle of Firewhiskey." He looked at her quickly and cringed at her deathly glare. "But in a pinch going out fighting would be a close second."

She nodded and they stood back to back. The Death Eaters weren't moving. "Tell me, Sirius. I understand the three Veala, but what does the fourth do?"

"You understand the three Veala?"

Hermione laughed. "I understand a lot of things these days. Are you ready?"

Sirius exhaled loudly through his teeth. "You picked a hell of a time to bring me back to life, Granger, but yeah; I'm ready."

Five white-masks stepped forward.

* * *

**AN:** _ I'm so sorry but this fight scene needs to be in a chapter of its own._


	19. Chapter 19

__________________

The voice came from nowhere and everywhere. "You stupid, filthy Mudblood."

Hermione had never heard a voice so full of hatred and rage and she turned to try to find the source but only the masks could be seen. "If you have the courage to speak to me that way, then you have the courage to reveal yourself."

"I owe my husband's whore nothing." Belatrix stepped out on a higher platform and looked down over the two trapped in the deadly circle. She threw her mask over her shoulder and grinned maliciously.

Sirius nudged Hermione and she groaned. "It's a long complicated story." She muttered in response and threw him a quick pleading look then to the Death Eater. "I sent your husband alive back to your side when I could have let him die."

"Yes you did and that was so very kind." The sugar sweetness of her tone made the hair on the back of Hermione's neck stand on end. "You silly, lovesick fool."

And at that moment Hermione understood. Tears welled in her eyes and her entire body trembled in a mixture of rage and sorrow. Her heart felt like it was ripping in two as she looked up at the dark witch then around at the surrounding death eaters. Rodolphus was here, serving his master with loyalty and vengeance and she meant nothing.

"Hermione," Sirius hissed behind her. "Are you still with me, darlin'?"

She nodded and watched the white masks close in. Her power crackled and she felt a wind from nowhere blow her hair around her face. Glaring around at the masked figures she took a deep breath and centered her power and the first round began.

Sirius and Hermione ducked and dived to avoid the flying red curses. One flew by her ear and she smelt her singed hair. Hermione rolled under another barrage of curses; red and hot they whizzed and hissed. From her low position she fired three well aimed curses and two Death Eaters fell.

Sirius fell at her side, avoiding another curse by half an inch. "Impressive, Granger." He grinned and winked before rolling again and firing another four curses. They both watched as two more wizards fell.

More curses flew as the other wizards engaged. All bets were off now that the first wave had been floored easily. Hermione and Sirius ducked and threw more curses.

"You know, it's great that we're not dead yet." Sirius yelled back and they ducked together, throwing curses in opposite directions.

"You noticed that huh?" A fireball singed her arm and she cried.

"We can't keep this up." He quickly soothed the burn and the exchanged look.

"Alright _" they ducked more curses as the dark army seemed to be moving in new formation. "First we don't know how many of these white masks are really members; last time they used hordes of civilians under the Imperious." She pulled a little glass ball from her pocket. "I'm going to count to three and we're both going to jump."

"What!?"

"One, two, three." They both jumped and Hermione threw the ball onto the hard ground.

The ball exploded and a white gas spread fast, covering the floor and engulfing all of the white masks, sucking them down and under the floor. The whole process took less then a second and when Hermione and Sirius landed it was on a new clear floor, seemingly made up of white masks and morbidly still bodies.

All that were left were a circle of twenty green masked wizards and they shifted back restlessly. The hissing comments sounded more and more fearful as they got louder.

"What the fuck, Granger?" Sirius hopped from one foot to the other, taking in the ghastly new mosaic beneath their feet.

"Relax, they're not dead, just in stasis, we'll release them after."

A wild, rage filled scream pierced the air and they both turned to see Belatrix jump from the platform and down to the floor. The other Death Eaters stayed back, looking at one another in earnest. They were much braver when the white masks stood in the front line.

Belatrix flew at Hermione, hands outstretched and screeching like a banshee. "You filthy, mudblood whore!"

Sirius and Hermione jumped to the side easily and the crazed witch shot past and fell to the hard floor. She was breathing hard as she stared wide eyes down at the white faces.

The muggleborn looked down at the dark witch with a mixture of fear and disgust. "Yeah you said that already. You really don't think that I know about my bloodline? And yes I was your husband's -" She took a shuddering breath. "Whore. But he returned to you, he chose you. When he was struggling for life he called for you!"

It took Sirius' hands on her shoulders to pull her back and Hermione realized that she was crying. She looked up at him, afraid to meet his gaze, but unable to not. What she saw in his expression was not what she expected. Sirius looked down at her with a mixture of sympathy and something else but before she could analyze the look Belatrix laughed, a high pitched sound that made their ears hurt.

"Your lies won't save you, Mudblood." She hissed stepping towards Hermione.

Her confusion lasted only a moment but it was long enough for Belatrix to utter the killing curse and before they could move the green light was splitting the air.

Hermione was suddenly thrown to the side and Sirius to the opposite direction. She looked to see the killing curse fly by and barely miss the two large figures that had pulled Hermione and Sirius out of the way.

All she could do was watch as Belatrix screamed and fell motionless to the floor.

The witch was dead.

Hermione gasped, her heart beating so fast it hurt. She looked around for the one who had killed Belatrix and thought she might pass out at what she saw.

Rodolphus Lestrange stood tall and broad over the body of his dead wife. His face flushed with rage and he was breathing hard. He looked so much larger now as dangerous in his anger as Hermione remembered. As she looked at his rising and falling back she couldn't help but remember when it felt like to touch him, to be touched by him and new tears welled. She missed him.

No! The only reason he had for killing his wife was betrayal. More then likely he had requested the right to kill his slave himself, as he had promised he would.

Sirius looked at the man who had pulled him out of the way and grinned. "Rabastan!"

"Sirius," Rabastan puffed. "How's by you?"

Sirius Blinked. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Lestrange but aren't you traditionally on the pro side of my death?"

"Ordinarily, yes." Rabastan shrugged and tipped his head towards the spot where Hermione still gazed up at a very still Rodolphus. "The mud… Muggleborn is something special."

"Well I could have bloody told you that."

It was then that Rodolphus turned to Hermione, still on her knees. She didn't recognize his expression and his eyes were guarded. If her life was the only one in danger, Hermione would not have risen to her feet. If it was only she and Rodolphus standing face to face she would have welcomed death at his hand, death was preferable to a life without him.

But she was not alone. One hand moved protectively over her abdomen and she flicked a quick look at Sirius, he was out of the way. Standing she raised her wand and pointed it directly at his heart; the irony was not lost on her.

The room was suddenly filled with wind and sound as the Order arrived. One by one Harry, Fred, George, Bill, Ron appeared followed closely by Remus, Snape, and Dumbledore.

"Well you took your bloody time!?" Sirius yelled then his face paled at the sight of Harry.

The boy gazed at him through glassy eyes. He was older, taller, harder. "Sirius…"

"There's no time, Potter!" Sirius bellowed and pointed to the green masked Death Eaters when had reclaimed their courage and were advancing. Harry sprung into action, throwing Sirius one last look before yelling orders at the already positioned redheads. Then he saw Hermione facing the large Death Eater and froze. He growled lips pulling back from his teeth but before he could attack a loud hiss sounded behind him and he found himself face to face with his hairless nemesis. While the Order and the dark army dueled, Harry and Voldermort circled one another.

Rodolphus, oblivious to the clashing around them looked right back at Hermione, his wand held firmly at his side. "Are you going to kill me, witch?"

Tears slipped unchecked down her cheeks but she squared her shoulders and stood straighter. "Don't think I won't." She spoke between clenched teeth.

"I don't doubt that." He replied and dropped his wand to the floor and the sound echoed around the enclosed space making the fighting wizards turn.

Something drew the attention of the dark and light wizards and none of them understood why.

Hermione watched, suddenly dizzy as Rodolphus fell to his knees in front of her. Suddenly his eyes were no longer guarded and what she saw made her gasp.

"I know that you would kill me, Hermione and nobody would blame you." He paused and spread his arms wide, a sign of surrender. "But where else would I want to be, when I die?"

They were her words. He was using them against her, tricking her. She put more force behind her wand, so much she trembled with it. A sob shook her body and the wand dropped from her fingers.

It took Rodolphus three quick movements to be on his feet, striding to her side and sweeping the slight witch into his arms. "Hermione," he breathed into her hair, wrapping his arms around her waist and shoulders. "My witch, my love."

His words sang and danced through her mind and tingled down her spine. She could only stare and breath, looking up at his ruggedly handsome face, his deep soulful eyes and his long burgundy hair. She inhaled his scent and was about to speak when he cupped the back of her neck, his face a mask of passion and need, and kissed her.

His mouth was hot and demanding on hers, forcing her into submission and she submitted willingly. Hermione had forgotten how good he tasted, musky and spicy making her head spin. She felt like she was floating, turning, rising higher as she let her love free and sighed in bliss as he did the same. Once again she felt his darkness seep into her and she pulled and gripped onto it. She loved his darkness, she loved his rage, she loved him.

At the same time Rodolphus felt the warmth and light of her soul and hugged it closer. He clung to her love as though it were his only lifeline and as he pulled his witch close he knew that it was. Love, warmth, devotion; all these things he had removed from his life, now he sort and welcomed them. It was this slight witch that made him realize just how much he longed for these things and with her he would learn how to wield them.

Around them the surrounding wizards stood, perfectly silent as they watched Rodolphus Lestrange and Hermione Granger embrace. The two glowed and a single gasp sounded as the two rose from the floor and floated upwards.

It was Harry who regained his wits. Even Dumbledore was lost for words as he stared open-mouthed at the couple now floating two feet above the floor. But that wasn't what made him grip his wand tighter.

Harry pointed his wand at Voldermort. "It's just you and me now Tom."

Voldermort looked around at his followers, suddenly anxious. "What are you doing you fools!" But they weren't paying attention. "No! I will kill you all, you will all be punished."

"Oh yes, they will be punished, but not by you Tom."

"Stop calling me that!!" He hissed. "I gave up that name long ago."

"Yes, you said that you dropped your muggle father's name. But that doesn't make it any less who you are."

"You speak in riddles." Voldermort circled, his wand shaking slightly in his long white fingers. "I am Lord Voldermort and you will show me the respect I deserve. I will have you on your knees whelp."

Harry grinned. "I didn't know you swung that way."

Voldermort roared and flew at the bespectacled man. Harry ducked and circled so they were facing one another again.

"My point, Tom, is that these fools may see you as some kind of dark lord, a god even, but I know where you live, Tom."

"You know nothing."

"I know something." Harry spoke quietly, his grin still in place. "You're just a man, Tom."

Voldermort roared and lunged, this time he caught the younger man. "I am more then man, you weak imbecile."

Harry cried out as Voldermort forced him to his knees. "Still – a man – Tom," Harry gasped.

Voldermort pressed his wand against Harry's temple, pressing hard enough to make the younger man cringe. "I am much more then any man. I am Lord Voldermort. I am a…" A gurgled sound took away the last of Tom Riddle's words.

The Dark Lord staggered back in surprise, grasping his stomach a look of shock on his face as he stared down. Ruby red blood flowed from between his fingers and covered the pathetically small dagger protruding from his body. He gasped and reached for Harry but his blood flowed fast and his consciousness slipped away.

Lord Voldermort fell dead to the cold stone ground, his blood flooding the floor and covering the white masks beneath him. Harry Potter finally looked up at the couple still kissing above and his expression turned from that of hatred and murder to awe. It was over.

As Hermione and Rodolphus slowly, reluctantly pulled apart and set foot again on the floor they became aware of what had happened.

"I think we missed something important." Hermione breathed crinkling her nose at the blood still flooding around the wizards' feet. But Rodolphus' hand gripped her chin and forced her to look back at him and she smiled into his eyes. "My champion." Was all she could say.

"Forever." He replied, his voice gruff and he gently caressed her cheek, her hair, her throat. "I'm yours."

**The End**


End file.
